CATL predicts fully-electric boats will be capable of navigating oceans within three years

CATL’s future appears to include continued expansions into marine electrification, as an executive for the company recently predicted that fully electric boats will soon be able to navigate the open seas safely.

CATL is already the leading battery manufacturer in the world, with its products already powering electronic devices, EVs, and even electric planes. For the last five years, CATL’s batteries have also helped power electric boats. In fact, some of the largest fully-electric vessels in the world are.

Still, those passenger boats have only been able to navigate safer waterways, such as rivers and coastlines. For example, CATL helped develop a river cruise ship, the Yangtze River Three Gorges No. 1, back in 2020, contributing 10,000 LFP battery cells.

At the time, CATL shared that the river cruise had the most passenger seats and power capacity in the world for an all-electric boat. As battery cells become more energy-dense, we are seeing a correlation with larger electric boats that can travel farther.

As such, CATL recently shared a prediction that ships large enough for ocean voyages will be able to become fully-electric in the next three years.

CATL anticipates electric boats that will navigate open seas

As reported by CnEVPost, CATL’s marine division head, Su Yiyi, stated that the battery giant is already advancing its technology for ocean applications. Su shared the following during a recent media briefing in Shanghai:

In the near future – perhaps within the next three years – we will achieve pure-electric vessels navigating the open seas.

CATL has been helping develop and power electric boats since 2017 and established its own marine-specific subsidiary in 2022. To date, its batteries have helped power approximately 900 vessels. According to CATL, that’s roughly 40% of the global market share.

This past summer, China’s first pure-electric tourist vessel, the “Yujian 77,” set sail in China. The boat was co-developed by CATL and features its marine battery system. Its success has helped pave the way for larger electric vessels that will be able to venture beyond coastlines in the near future.