目前全球不少汽车制造商都已宣布，未来几代汽车将采用具有创新极耳设计的大圆柱电池。宝马集团表示，计划将从2025年起在“新世代”车型中使用46mm标准直径的大圆柱电池。蔚来、保时捷、江淮、东风岚图、俊风等多家整车厂也均表示旗下车型会搭载4680大圆柱电池，戴姆勒、大众、小鹏、一汽等也均在考虑使用。

　　在电池制造商方面，国内的宁德时代、亿纬锂能、比克电池、远景动力，国外的松下、LG新能源、三星SDI等都已经确认正在进行4680型圆柱电池的原型开发。业内研究机构指出，预计未来几年全球会有更多车企及电池厂将跟进4680电池结构创新的趋势，这或将成为圆柱动力电池大规模应用的转折点。

　　新年伊始，大圆柱电池赛道就开启了“超燃模式”，众玩家频频“亮剑”。1月28日，总投资130亿元的比克电池常州生产基地项目签约，将建设大圆柱电池产线及国际化研发中心，建成后总产能为30GWh。根据规划，比克未来将在海内外扩充80GWh的电池产能。近期，特斯拉则宣布计划在美国内华达州追加投资36亿美元，扩建其现有的超级工厂，这其中包括生产4680大圆柱电池，规划年产能100GWh。

　　另外，有媒体报道称，通用汽车希望在未来的电动车型中从软包电池转向圆形电池。迄今为止，通用汽车一直使用LG新能源制造的软包电池，“通用汽车未来很可能会采用特斯拉首创的4680规格的大圆柱电池，”媒体如此评论说。

　　未来随着大圆柱电池良品率提升与成本下降，大圆柱电池装机量有望提速。比克电池预测，2025年到2035年在中高端汽车市场上大圆柱电池将会占据绝对的统领地位。比克电池副总裁樊文光指出，当下的动力电池市场方壳、软包、圆柱三分天下，各方面的性能优势决定了大圆柱动力电池是未来5-10内中高端电动汽车的最优解。

　　根据光大证券的研报预测，在特斯拉等销量高企、4680技术不断成熟的背景下，预计2025年全球4680电池装机量预计将达264GWh，在全球动力电池装机量和圆柱电池装机量中的渗透率分别达到22%和68%。

01

超级“六边形选手”

　　从技术上讲，大圆柱电池可以被叫做“六边形选手”，它各方面的性能是最均衡的。

　　目前几种主流形态中，圆柱电池安全性最高，这主要由于其单体和电池包结构特性，单体最小，有效分散风险;单独外壳保护和独立泄压装置，多重保障;电芯蜂窝状排列，空隙保障了足够大的单体与外部热交换面积; 更重要的是,中心对称的圆形结构可以在全生命周期有效束缚内部极片的膨胀，使得电芯外部不发生任何形变。

　　“大圆柱的高安全性，使它成为搭载兼顾高能量和超级快充的最佳载体。”有业内人士分析指出。大圆柱电池能够在保障安全和足够的续航里程的同时，进一步提升快充性能，助力电动车使用体验媲美燃油车。

　　去年年底，一篇发表于国际顶级能源类期刊《Journal of Power Sources》的学术论文引起了业内关注，该论文首次采用了真实商业化的全极耳大圆柱电池，验证了12分钟超级快充的可能性，全面展示了开发成熟的全极耳大圆柱电池的巨大潜力。值得一提的是，这篇文章采用的电芯来自中国制造商，在国内率先发布4680电芯的比克电池。

　　通过模拟计算和实验验证，该论文探究了几种条件下电芯的最优化充电时间和热管理策略，使得在电芯不发生析锂的前提下：20°C环境下，可在11分53秒内将电池电量从10%充到80%;在零下20°C环境下，可将10%-80%的快充时间优化到15分58秒的水平。这些发现为行业提供了大圆柱电池快充性能展望：从10%充电状态到80%充电状态只用不到12分钟。

　　探究起来，快充性能的本质依然是体系的能量密度，因为更短的充电时间与更高的能量密度可以说是鱼与熊掌的关系，快充性能的提升势必会对能量密度提出挑战。而大圆柱电芯的高安全上限，使得它可以支持更高能量密度的化学体系。例如高镍三元正极、硅碳负极等，这些都是在方形和软包等平行极片结构的电芯上很难实现应用的体系。

　　而在成本方面，大圆柱电池优势也十分明显。例如，特斯拉4680圆柱电芯的制造成本比2170圆柱电芯成本要低17%左右，生产速度最高可提升7倍。马斯克希望未来把4680成本降至70美元/kWh，预计届时其电池生产成本较目前中国国内动力电池的生产成本下降约一半。

02

不同于特斯拉的全极耳技术

　　虽然大圆柱电池具备优异的性能和广阔的应用前景，不过目前全球范围内拥有成熟技术的企业并不多，而比克电池是其中的佼佼者之一。据了解，自2021年初在国内率先发布全极耳大圆柱电池至今，比克在大圆柱电池技术研发和市场化推进上持续领先。与特斯拉的无极耳概念类比，经过多年的探索，比克电池形成了独有的全极耳技术路线。

　　比克全极耳技术通过对结构件的优化设计，及生产设备和工装夹具的配合，实现了比传统圆柱电芯还要高效的工艺解决方案。经测试，采用全极耳的电芯，比同体系传统单极耳电芯的内阻降低了70%以上。这意味着极高的功率输入(充电)及输出(放电)，受到了国际客户的广泛认可。

　　凭借大圆柱的结构优势，比克通过搭载高镍正极、硅负极、掺硅补锂等先进技术，使电池能量密度大大提升，为整车提供800公里以上的续航里程。比克目前圆柱电池正极镍含量已由Ni50提升到Ni90，容量持续提升。同时，比克硅氧材料也由一代硅发展到三代硅，将首效由77%提升至86%，基本达到与正极效率匹配，并采用了先进的补锂技术，正极利用率逐步提升。

　　据悉，比克大圆柱目前主要有46系、3x系和26系等系列。其中46系电芯已经开始陆续有样品批量交付，性能表现符合预期。目前电芯能量密度在280Wh/kg至330Wh/kg之间。26系则以26105铝壳电芯为主，目前处于B样阶段，应用于整车可达700公里以上续航，预计将于2024年量产，届时能量密度将达290Wh/kg。3x系则处于二者之间，是比克为了进一步综合优化性能、成本、系统设计等因素开发的新平台。

　　在全极耳技术、先进化学体系和电芯设计能力的加持下，比克即将量产的大圆柱产品，可以实现5分钟内将电量从10%快充至50%，相当于200-300Km续航里程，12分钟内将电量从10%充至80%，相当于520公里续航里程，同时支持高速服务站等应用场景下4C以上充电倍率的超级快充需求，与现在的燃油车加油体验几乎一致。这个数据在前述学术论文中也得到了实验数据的验证。

　　而在消费者极为看重的安全性方面，通过结构设计，比克大圆柱电池可以使电芯实现定向泄压，保证单体电芯发生热失控时，不会蔓延到周围的电芯产生连锁反应，保证整包层面的热安全，从而实现整车层面零热扩散，保证电池包整体的安全和电池全生命周期品质的始终如一。

　　未来大圆柱电池必定将大显身手。市场研究机构Canalys预计，2025年全球电动车销量将突破2000万辆，对应的动力电池需求将超过1600GWh。业内推测，到2025年大圆柱电芯至少占全球动力电池30%以上的市场份额，超过2021年全球动力电池总需求量。

　　不难想见，属于大圆柱电池的春天就要到来了，也将助推全球新能源汽车产业发展迈向更高阶段!

"The king of the industry", "the best solution of medium and high-end electric vehicles in the next 5-10 years", "may be the ultimate technical direction of power batteries"... For large cylindrical batteries, the industry is generous in praise. Tesla CEO Musk said that all future electric vehicles of Tesla will use 4680 large cylindrical batteries. He said ambitiously that the company's future goal is to expand the 4680 battery capacity to 1000 GWh per year.
"Rapid Leap Forward" of Large Cylindrical Battery
At present, many automobile manufacturers around the world have announced that the large cylindrical battery with innovative lug design will be used in future generations of automobiles. BMW Group said that it plans to use 46mm standard diameter large cylindrical battery in "new generation" vehicles from 2025. Weilai, Porsche, Jianghuai, Dongfeng Landu, Junfeng and other complete vehicle manufacturers also said that their vehicles will carry 4680 large cylindrical batteries, and Daimler, Volkswagen, Xiaopeng, FAW, etc. are also considering using them.
In terms of battery manufacturers, domestic Ningde Times, Yiwei Lithium Energy, Bike Battery, Vision Power, foreign Panasonic, LG New Energy, Samsung SDI, etc. have confirmed that prototype development of 4680 cylindrical battery is under way. Industry research institutions pointed out that in the next few years, it is expected that more automobile enterprises and battery manufacturers around the world will follow the trend of 4680 battery structure innovation, which may become a turning point for large-scale application of cylindrical power batteries.
At the beginning of the new year, the big cylindrical battery circuit has opened the "super burning mode", and many players have repeatedly "lit their swords". On January 28, the Changzhou production base project of Bike battery, with a total investment of 13 billion yuan, was signed to build a large cylindrical battery production line and an international research and development center, with a total capacity of 30GWh after completion. According to the plan, Bike will expand its battery capacity of 80GWh at home and abroad in the future. Recently, Tesla announced that it plans to invest an additional $3.6 billion in Nevada, the United States, to expand its existing super factory, which includes the production of 4680 large cylindrical batteries, and the planned annual capacity of 100GWh.
In addition, according to media reports, General Motors hopes to shift from soft battery to round battery in future electric vehicles. So far, General Motors has been using the soft battery made by LG New Energy. "General Motors is likely to use the 4680 large cylindrical battery pioneered by Tesla in the future," the media commented.
In the future, the installed capacity of large cylindrical batteries is expected to increase as the yield of large cylindrical batteries increases and the cost decreases. Bike battery predicts that the large cylindrical battery will occupy an absolute leading position in the medium and high-end automobile market from 2025 to 2035. Fan Wenguang, Vice-President of Bike Battery, pointed out that the current power battery market is divided into three parts: square shell, soft bag and cylinder. The performance advantages in all aspects determine that the large cylinder power battery is the best solution for medium and high-end electric vehicles in the next 5-10 years.
According to the research report of Everbright Securities, under the background of high sales volume of Tesla and the continuous maturity of 4680 technology, it is expected that the global installed capacity of 4680 batteries will reach 264 GWh in 2025, and the penetration rate in the global installed capacity of power batteries and cylindrical batteries will reach 22% and 68% respectively.
01
Super "hexagon player"
Technically, the large cylindrical battery can be called "hexagonal player", and its performance is the most balanced in all aspects.
At present, cylindrical battery has the highest safety among several mainstream forms, which is mainly due to the structural characteristics of its monomer and battery package, the smallest monomer and effective risk dispersion; Separate enclosure protection and independent pressure relief device, multiple guarantees; The cells are arranged in honeycomb shape, and the gap ensures sufficient heat exchange area between the monomer and the outside; More importantly, the center-symmetric circular structure can effectively restrain the expansion of the internal electrode during the whole life cycle, so that no deformation occurs outside the core.
"The high safety of the big cylinder makes it the best carrier for carrying both high energy and super fast charging." An industry analyst pointed out. The large cylindrical battery can further improve the fast charging performance while ensuring safety and sufficient range, and help the use experience of electric vehicles to be comparable to that of fuel vehicles.
At the end of last year, an academic paper published in Journal of Power Sources, a top international energy journal, attracted the attention of the industry. The paper first adopted a real commercial full-pole ear large cylindrical battery, which verified the possibility of 12-minute ultra-fast charging, and fully demonstrated the huge potential of developing mature full-pole ear large cylindrical battery. It is worth mentioning that the cell used in this article is from a Chinese manufacturer, which is the first to release the 4680 cell battery in China.
Through simulation calculation and experimental verification, this paper explores the optimal charging time and thermal management strategy of the battery cell under several conditions, so that the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in 11 minutes and 53 seconds at 20 ° C under the premise of no lithium precipitation of the battery cell; Under the environment of minus 20 ° C, the fast charging time of 10% - 80% can be optimized to the level of 15 minutes and 58 seconds. These findings provide the industry with the prospect of fast charging performance of large cylindrical batteries: it takes less than 12 minutes to change from 10% state of charge to 80% state of charge.
To explore, the essence of fast charging performance is still the energy density of the system, because shorter charging time and higher energy density can be said to be the relationship between fish and bear's paw, and the improvement of fast charging performance is bound to challenge the energy density. The high safety upper limit of the large cylindrical core allows it to support chemical systems with higher energy density. For example, high-nickel ternary anode, silicon-carbon anode, etc., these are systems that are difficult to realize application on square and soft package and other parallel electrode structure cores.
In terms of cost, the advantages of large cylindrical battery are also very obvious. For example, the manufacturing cost of Tesla 4680 cylindrical cell is about 17% lower than that of 2170 cylindrical cell, and the production speed can be increased by up to 7 times. Musk hopes to reduce the cost of 4680 to US $70/kWh in the future. It is estimated that its battery production cost will decrease by about half compared with the current domestic power battery production cost in China.
02
Different from Tesla's all-pole ear technology
Although the large cylindrical battery has excellent performance and broad application prospects, there are not many enterprises with mature technology in the world at present, and Bike battery is one of the best. It is understood that since the first all-pole ear large cylindrical battery was released in China at the beginning of 2021, BIK has continued to take the lead in the research and development of large cylindrical battery technology and the promotion of marketization. By analogy with Tesla's concept of non-polar ear, after years of exploration, Bike battery has formed a unique all-polar ear technology route.
Through the optimization design of structural parts and the cooperation of production equipment and tooling fixtures, Bike all-pole ear technology has realized a process solution that is more efficient than the traditional cylindrical cell. According to the test, the internal resistance of the cell with full-pole lug is reduced by more than 70% compared with the traditional single-pole lug cell of the same system. This means that the extremely high power input (charging) and output (discharging) are widely recognized by international customers.
With the structural advantages of the large cylinder, Bike has greatly improved the energy density of the battery by carrying advanced technologies such as high nickel positive electrode, silicon negative electrode, and silicon-doped lithium supplement, providing the vehicle with a range of more than 800 kilometers. At present, the nickel content of the positive pole of Bike cylindrical battery has been increased from Ni50 to Ni90, and the capacity continues to increase. At the same time, Bike silicon oxide materials have also developed from the first generation of silicon to the third generation of silicon, increasing the first efficiency from 77% to 86%, basically matching the efficiency of the positive electrode, and using advanced lithium supplement technology, the utilization rate of the positive electrode has gradually improved.
It is reported that there are mainly 46 series, 3x series and 26 series of BIK cylinders. Among them, 46 series of cores have been delivered in batches, and their performance meets expectations. At present, the energy density of the cell is between 280Wh/kg and 330Wh/kg. The 26 series is mainly made of 26105 aluminum shell cells, which are currently in the B-type stage, and can be applied to the whole vehicle for more than 700km. It is expected to be mass produced in 2024, when the energy density will reach 290Wh/kg. The 3x system is in the middle of the two. It is a new platform developed by Bike to further optimize performance, cost, system design and other factors.
With the support of all-pole ear technology, advanced chemical system and battery design capability, the large cylindrical product that will be produced in mass production by Bicke can realize the fast charging of electric power from 10% to 50% in 5 minutes, which is equivalent to 200-300Km range, and from 10% to 80% in 12 minutes, which is equivalent to 520 km range. At the same time, it supports the super fast charging demand of more than 4C charging rate in application scenarios such as high-speed service stations, It is almost the same as the current fueling experience of fuel vehicles. This data has also been verified by experimental data in the above-mentioned academic papers.
In terms of the safety that consumers attach great importance to, through the structural design, the BIK large cylindrical battery can realize the directional pressure relief of the cell, ensure that when the single cell is out of control, it will not spread to the surrounding cells to produce a chain reaction, and ensure the thermal safety of the whole package level, so as to achieve zero thermal diffusion at the vehicle level, and ensure the overall safety of the battery package and the consistent quality of the whole life cycle of the battery.
In the future, large cylindrical batteries will definitely show their skills. Canalys, a market research institute, predicts that the global sales of electric vehicles will exceed 20 million in 2025, and the corresponding demand for power batteries will exceed 1600 GWh. The industry speculates that by 2025, the large cylindrical cell will account for at least 30% of the global power battery market share, which will exceed the global power battery total demand in 2021.
It is not hard to imagine that the spring of the large cylindrical battery is coming, which will also boost the development of the global new energy vehicle industry to a higher stage!