The first was an upgraded version of its Shenxing battery designed to add more range when fast charging. CATL said the battery can now offer 520 kilometers (323 miles) of range from just five minutes of charging time — a marked improvement over BYD’s promise to add 400km (249 miles) of range in the same amount of time.

China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world’s largest producer of electric vehicle batteries, has unveiled an upgraded battery that promises an even longer range than rival BYD’s cutting-edge technology.

CATL has unveiled upgraded battery cells it claims can offer faster charging for electric vehicles than its rival BYD, putting the two Chinese groups ahead of competitors in the race to overcome a major barrier to the shift away from petrol vehicles.