Greater Bay Technology says its new Phoenix cell has thermal management that can heat the battery back from -4F to 77F in five minutes. That allows the lithium ion battery to operate as normal and charge within six minutes says Huang Xiangdong, Greater Bay’s co-founder and chairman.
It will first power cars made by Aion, which is owned by Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC). However, it adds that it will also power vehicles from other automakers. Vehicles with the Phoenix cell will be able to go up to 621 miles (1,000 km) per charge.
The company was spun off from GAC in 2020. Since then, it has become what investors refer to as a “unicorn,” or a startup valued at over $1 billion. That’s largely because of its first-generation of battery technology, which aims to recharge as quickly as a gas tank fills.