On April 10, the first batch of mass-produced Model Y equipped with 4680 batteries was officially delivered, in addition to the high-profile 4680 battery mass production, this car has many technical highlights, CTC chassis technology is one of them.
Compared with the mysterious and industry-leading 4680 battery, CTC chassis technology has more applications in the industry and is more mature in technology.
On April 25, Zero-Run Cars, one of the new car-making forces, also released its self-developed CTC technology, and will take the lead in applying this technical solution on the upcoming Zero-Run C01 model.
Prior to this, BYD, Volvo, Volkswagen and others have also explored this technology. So what are the advantages of this technology?
What is CTC technology
CTC technology, the full name of the English cell to Chassis, Tesla will be called the structural battery, the essence of this technology is to cancel most of the modules inside the battery pack, directly install the battery cell or module on the body chassis, the battery cell in the power of the vehicle at the same time, but also as the chassis of the structural parts.
Regarding this technology, Musk once gave a more intuitive example, that is, aircraft.
In the past, many aircraft needed to carry large-capacity fuel tanks in order to improve endurance, but later many large aircraft chose to directly use the wings to store fuel, eliminating the original fuel tank, thus achieving the purpose of reducing weight and improving endurance for aircraft.
CTC technology has obvious advantages
According to Musk, after the adoption of CTC technology, the new car is expected to lose 10% weight, the battery life is expected to increase by 14%, and the body parts can be reduced by 370.
The recent delivery of the Tesla Model Y has attracted much attention because of the use of CTC technology. The zero-run car that recently released CTC technology also announced that after the adoption of CTC technology, the layout space of the battery increased by 14.5%, the battery life increased by 10%, and even the vertical space in the car increased by 10mm.
The reason is very simple, the conventional power battery, first with a single cell to form a small module, and then with a small module to form a large module that is, a battery pack, and then the battery pack is installed on the chassis of the body.
In the middle, a large number of modules, supports and structural parts will occupy a certain volume and mass, limiting the energy density of the battery pack, while also increasing the energy consumption of the vehicle and limiting the mileage.
Then after the use of CTC technology, a large number of modules were cancelled, and the weight of the entire body was significantly reduced. At the same time, a lot of space is also freed up, and with the wheelbase unchanged, a larger battery can be carried on the body chassis, which significantly increases the energy density.
Simply put, vehicles with CTC technology carry more batteries but weigh less. Under the influence of two factors, the mileage of the vehicle increases.
In addition, because the battery is directly fixed to the body chassis, the internal module is greatly reduced, the entire battery pack forms a whole, and the rigidity also rises, which will significantly improve the user's control experience.
From the current situation, the cathode material of the power battery is unlikely to make a breakthrough in the short term, so this chassis technology that can reduce costs, improve endurance and improve the handling experience has become one of the most cutting-edge technologies in the industry.
Where there are advantages, there are disadvantages
It should be pointed out that there is no perfect technology in this world. The advantages of CTC technology are obvious, but the disadvantages are also quite obvious.
Conventional battery packs, the design work is completed by power battery manufacturers such as the Ningde era, power battery manufacturers make the finished products of the battery packs, handed over to the main engine factory to adapt, the middle of the most simple customization.
However, CTC technology is different, which puts forward higher requirements for OEMs and power battery manufacturers. CTC technology requires the main engine factory to have the ability to design the battery cell, and at the same time requires the power battery manufacturer to understand the chassis design, adjustment and manufacturing capabilities.
As far as the current industry is concerned, only BYD has mature experience in this regard, Tesla is in its infancy, and the rest of the manufacturers are still exploring, which undoubtedly brings a lot of trouble to the promotion of this technology.
In addition, even if the technology is rapidly promoted in the next few years, it has some problems that cannot be overcome in the short term.
The first is the safety problem, under the CTC technology scheme, the battery cell itself is a chassis structural part, but it covers the upper and lower two layers of cover. If the battery is violently hit, it is difficult to say whether the safety can meet the standards of the traditional chassis.
At the same time, CTC chassis technology has also brought trouble to the future maintenance and repair of the vehicle. Before the adoption of CTC technology, the production of batteries was standardized.
After the use of CTC technology, due to the high degree of integration with the body chassis, it has actually become a customized product, and the battery indicators that need to be used are different for different models within the same brand, which increases the cost of maintenance and maintenance.
If the battery collides or catches fire, it must be repaired or replaced, which is equivalent to saying that the entire chassis will be subjected to a major operation, which will also increase the cost.
At present, electric vehicles are developing rapidly, and there are still many technical solutions that need to be determined, and CTC technology is only one of them. The advantages and disadvantages of this technology are obvious, and whether it can become mainstream in the future requires further market verification.