Battery technology China: CATL Relies on the Breathing Battery

Is this the next-next generation of car batteries? The Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has officially confirmed the "lithium-air battery" for the first time as part of its strategic development. Analysts in China are already wondering whether solid-state batteries could be outdated before they are even scaled.

Wu Kai, the chief scientist of CATL, recently publicly described the new battery type for the first time at the "Powering the Nation Forum 2026." He stated that CATL is currently working on scaling the solid-state battery but is simultaneously conducting research on the lithium-air battery.

The anode of a lithium-air battery consists of metallic lithium. The cathode is a so-called air electrode, through which ambient air enters the cell. Oxygen, not a solidly installed metal oxide, is the active reaction partner at the cathode. During discharge, the lithium anode releases lithium ions. At the cathode, oxygen is reduced and combines with the lithium to form lithium oxides, ideally lithium peroxide (Li₂O₂). During this process, current flows through the external circuit. During charging, the reaction runs in reverse, and the lithium peroxide decomposes back into lithium and oxygen, which the cell releases.

Due to this absorption and release of oxygen, the new battery type is now known as the "breathing battery" in Chinese technical literature.

Do Lithium-Air Batteries Make Solid-State Batteries Obsolete?

Theoretically, lithium-air batteries are expected to achieve an energy density of up to 12,000 Wh/kg, almost as much as gasoline with its approximately 13,000. In the laboratory, more than 1,200 Wh/kg has already been measured, about four times as much as the 250 to 270 of today's lithium-ion cells and also more than the 400 to 500 expected from solid-state batteries. "Among all battery technologies considered for the next generation, lithium-air batteries have the highest expected energy density," an expert is quoted as saying by the Chinese specialist portal Chaodian Shiyanshi.

This extremely high energy density, at least compared to today's commercially available batteries, is accompanied by a significantly reduced overall weight. A conventional lithium-ion cell requires a heavy cathode made of nickel, cobalt, and manganese just to host the tiny, feather-light lithium ion. If the heavy cathode is eliminated, the weight decreases significantly.

And since the oxygen from the ambient air is free, cost reductions in production are also a realistic perspective. A study by the University of Cambridge speculates that lithium-air batteries could weigh only one-fifth of today's lithium-ion batteries and also cost only one-fifth as much.

At a time when the industry is seriously preparing for solid-state batteries as the next generation of traction and storage batteries, CATL is already focusing on the next technological leap. "Will CATL's lithium-air battery make solid-state batteries obsolete before they even reach mass production?" asks the Chinese car blog Diandong Xingqiu.

It is likely to take quite some time until then. CATL is occupying future fields of battery research to secure its long-term competitiveness. It is pursuing multiple approaches, and the parallel production of lithium-ion and solid-state batteries in the coming years is almost certain.

Implementation in Practice Remains Difficult

Research on lithium-air batteries has been ongoing worldwide for a long time. As early as 1996, the first rechargeable prototype was developed, but the U.S. corporation IBM apparently abandoned its ambitious "Battery 500" project after 2012. In any case, nothing more has been heard about it.

The implementation of the idea at that time failed due to a number of technical hurdles. Air contains moisture and carbon dioxide. Both interfere with the reaction and shorten the lifespan. To this day, researchers are struggling with catalysts, interfaces, and the casing. CATL has also not yet provided any technical data or a timeline for mass production readiness.

However, recent research findings have brought new momentum to this field of battery research. In 2024, a team from the University of Illinois in Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and California State University in Northridge presented a cell in the journal Nature that endured more than 700 charging cycles in an air-like environment.

In 2025, a prototype by Argonne and the Illinois Institute of Technology followed, offering 1,200 Wh/kg and 1,000 cycles at room temperature, allegedly ready for deployment around 2030.

Also Interesting for Air Taxis

What makes CATL's announcement so relevant is the proven track record of the world's largest battery manufacturer in developing new batteries. A good example is the sodium-ion battery. When it was mentioned by CATL as a new development direction in 2020, there were still many skeptics. This year, it is entering mass production and is already featured in models like the GAC Aion UT, the Changan Oshan 520, and in logistics vehicles from Jianghuai. Further models like the Geely Xingyuan, the Chery QQ3, and the FAW Yueyi 03 are planned.

A similar scenario could emerge with lithium-air batteries in a few years. Their very high energy density might no longer be absolutely necessary for EVs, as future generations of current battery types could also provide sufficient performance.

But new applications, including in robotics, air taxis, and cargo drones, as well as the rapidly growing energy demands of AI data centers, could create lucrative market segments for lithium-air batteries. And the automotive industry would probably not say no to more battery performance at lower costs. 

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