KATHMANDU: Chinese battery giant CATL has unveiled its next-generation Tectrans II battery system for electric commercial vehicles at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, Germany.
Tectrans II is designed as a modular battery platform for heavy-duty trucks, medium-duty trucks and buses. By using different numbers of standard battery packs, the system can deliver a maximum driving range of up to 1,000 km.
CATL says the modular design can reduce vehicle development time by 50% and cut research and development costs by 60% to 70% for vehicle manufacturers.
The battery has a gravimetric energy density of 170 Wh/kg, around 13% higher than the industry average. CATL says this can allow commercial EVs to carry around 600 kg of additional payload. The system also achieves a round-trip efficiency of 96%.
One of its key features is megawatt-level fast charging. CATL says Tectrans II can charge from 20% to 80% in around 25 minutes.
For heavy-duty trucks, the battery is designed to deliver a service life of up to 12 years or 1.5 million km, while retaining 70% of its original capacity.
CATL has also focused on safety and durability. The battery uses a hot-formed steel upper cover, reinforced bottom protection and an extruded aluminum enclosure. Its multi-branch battery management system can isolate a failed branch while allowing the vehicle to continue operating.
At IAA Transportation 2026, CATL also signed an MoU with DHL Group to develop green freight corridors across Europe. The partnership will focus on electric commercial vehicles and pilot projects using CATL’s battery and electrification technology.
CATL held a 44% share of China’s electric commercial vehicle power battery market in the first half of 2026. It has also remained the leading battery supplier for China’s heavy-duty truck segment for five consecutive years, with more than 60% market share.
Globally, more than 2 million commercial vehicles are currently operating with CATL batteries.
