Chinese electric vehicle start-ups Li Auto and Hozon New Energy Automobile emerged as the first customers of a new long-range battery that Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) unveiled on Thursday and plans to start mass producing in 2023. The “Qilin” battery has a range of more than 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) on one charge, energy density of up to 255 watt-hour per kilogram, and is safer and more durable than existing cells, according to the world’s biggest maker of EV batteries. It is also 13 per cent more powerful than one planned by Tesla, a major customer of Fujian-based CATL. The battery – named after a Chinese mythical creature – has the longest range offered by any mainstream manufacturer yet. It comes as CATL faces greater pressure to innovate and maintain its dominance, with rivals at home and abroad – from BYD and China Aviation Lithium Battery to LG Energy Solution and Panasonic Holdings – developing their own products. Li Auto’s founder and chairman, Li Xiang, used China’s microblogging platform Weibo to draw attention to a potential battery supply deal, sharing details of CATL’s Qilin and commenting: “See you next year.” CATL responded: “Qilin has Li Auto.” Beijing-based Li Auto, which trades in New York and Hong Kong, is due to launch its first pure EV model in 2023, following two models that use petrol to power electric motors, including its latest – the L9 luxury sports-utility vehicle – that was unveiled this week, with deliveries to start in August. Hozon also used Weibo to publicly link itself to the new battery. Two dead after Nio car falls from third floor during test drive in Shanghai CATL will also supply batteries to South Korea’s Kia, though the type of cell is unknown. A CATL spokesman confirmed all three supplier deals on Friday, without providing details. CATL’s shares closed 4.9 per cent higher in Shenzhen following a 5.9 per cent gain on Thursday. A Kia spokesman declined to comment on CATL, saying only that the company is cooperating with various suppliers to “diversify and stabilise battery supply”.