CATL Qilin: removing the middle layer
Cell-to-pack integration changes the architecture surrounding the cells. It is a packaging strategy, not the name of a battery chemistry.
Canvas of Knowledge · 14 November 2026 · Illustrated explainerTHE OLD HIERARCHY
A conventional architecture groups cells into modules, then places modules inside a pack. Every level requires supporting structure, connections and space.
THE QILIN IDEA
CATL’s 2022 CTP 3.0 announcement described integrating structural support, liquid cooling and thermal components into a multifunctional interlayer. The objective is to make more of the pack useful.
WHAT TO COMPARE
Cell energy density and pack energy density have different denominators. A lighter cell can still belong to a heavy pack; fewer modules do not automatically mean easier repair.
THE IDEA TO KEEPPacking the battery more intelligently can improve the system without changing the underlying chemistry.
Sources & further reading
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