CATL 93Ah Lithium Cell Replacement Upgrade for Yuasa LEV50 Compatible with Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Peugeot iOn & Citroën C-Zero 

Product Overview

We supply this CATL cell as a straight electrical replacement for the GS Yuasa LEV50 fitted to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero. Same nominal voltage, same operating window, close to double the capacity — the car's management system keeps seeing the voltage range it was designed around, while the energy stored behind that voltage goes up substantially. That is the whole idea: an older city EV keeps its charger, its wiring and its voltage window, and gains usable range instead of losing it.

The other half of the story is mechanical. The case is thinner than the LEV50, so it will not clamp into the original cradle without a spacer, and the work belongs with a workshop that has opened a high-voltage pack before. As a lithium battery supplier we ship these as bare cells to EV repair shops, conversion builders and pack assemblers, and we would rather talk through your module layout first than have you run into the fit problem halfway through a rebuild.

Cell Chemistry & Basic Information

• NMC ternary chemistry on both sides. The LEV50 and this cell share the same cathode family, so the charging profile the vehicle was built around still applies and the BMS is not asked to relearn a different cell behaviour.
• CATL as the source. The cell comes from CATL, one of the NMC battery manufacturers that supply production EV programmes, rather than from a generic line relabelled for the replacement market.
• Prismatic hard case. Each unit is a rectangular prismatic lithium ion battery cell with a rigid case, top-mounted terminals and a welded seal — the format the i-MiEV module was designed to hold, not a pouch or cylindrical substitute.
• Terminals and polarity. Threaded metal terminal posts sit on flat terminal plates, and the positive end carries a + marking. That is enough to reuse busbars and bolted connections, provided the hardware and torque are confirmed by whoever builds the module.
• Vent port. An oval pressure-relief vent sits on the top plate. Keep it clear of foam, insulation and busbar covers when the module goes back together.
• Traceability. Every cell carries a barcode label with its own identifier, so a set can be tied back to the batch it came from and to the records that travel with it.
• Identity check before ordering. Cells are marked CL-N93. Read the markings on the units you are removing and confirm they are LEV50 rather than a later variant of the same pack.
• Bare cells only. Busbars, holders, sensing harnesses and the BMS are not included — what arrives is the cell itself, so the module hardware stays your choice.
• Other formats when a second project comes up. For builds in a different layout, EVE prismatic cells and other CATL sizes come from the same supply chain.

Core Electrical Parameters

Performance Gains in Practice

Range is why most people start looking. Energy per cell rises sharply, and in a car with every module rebuilt that shows up as distance between charges. Where only part of a pack is replaced, expect a smaller gain — the weakest module still sets the pace, and pack health, ambient temperature, tyre pressure and driving style all move the number too.

Power delivery changes in a subtler way. The NMC cell holds a lower internal resistance than the part it replaces, so voltage sags less when you ask for current: hills, motorway merges and a low state of charge all feel less strained, and the terminals run cooler because less energy is lost as heat. Charging is rated at 1C maximum, with a 3C maximum discharge and a 5C peak available for short bursts; the continuous figure is lower than both, which is normal for this class of cell.

The fast-charge result of 80% SOC in 20 minutes is a cell-level measurement taken at 25 °C. What you see at the plug is set by the vehicle's charger, pack temperature and BMS, so do not size your expectations from the cell alone.

Cycle life is quoted under standard 25 °C conditions. A pack that lives in a hot climate and sits at high state of charge between trips will not reach the same number, so use the figure to compare this cell with the original rather than to predict years of service. One real advantage of the larger capacity is that any given current draws a lower C-rate, which is gentler on the cell across its working life.

Dimensional Fit & Pack Weight

• Cell size. 172 × 42 × 91 mm (H × L × T) against 171 × 43.8 × 113.5 mm for the LEV50: essentially the same height and length, but roughly 22 mm thinner through the body.
• No native fit. The LEV50 sits in its cradle as supplied; this cell does not. Because the prismatic lithium ion battery cell is thinner, it will not be held by the original compression hardware, so plan a spacer or a revised clamp that keeps the stack at the compression your pack design calls for.
• Installation difficulty. Rate it as a mid-level job — three stars out of five against the original's zero-difficulty drop-in — and schedule the workshop time accordingly.
• Weight per cell. About 1.43 kg against about 1.7 kg, so roughly 270 g comes off with every cell you swap.
• Weight per pack. On an 88-cell vehicle pack the total falls from about 149.6 kg to about 125.8 kg, around 24 kg less mass in the car.
• Why the saving matters. Less mass to accelerate and brake, and less load on the module frames — but re-check that the retaining hardware still clamps correctly once the stack is both lighter and thinner.
• Measure before you commit. Check cavity depth, terminal height and busbar pitch in your own module. The NMC battery cell matches the electrical design; the mechanical design is yours to confirm.

Installation & Commissioning

1. Confirm what you are removing. The cells in the pack should carry GS Yuasa LEV50 markings. The replacement comes from CATL, one of the NMC battery manufacturers behind production EV packs, and the electrical match assumes a LEV50-class pack rather than a different module design.
2. Work to your high-voltage procedure. Isolate and discharge the pack the way your workshop does it. This is not a 12 V job.
3. Test-fit one cell first. Place a single cell in the cradle with the spacer or clamp you intend to use, and check terminal height and busbar alignment before committing the whole set.
4. Build the module from matched cells. Keep one batch together, hold the compression your design specifies, and leave the vent ports unobstructed.
5. Torque, then check again. Use the figure your pack builder specifies and re-check every joint — a loose connection on a high-capacity NMC battery cell heats quickly under load.
6. Reconnect the BMS carefully. Confirm the sense leads read the expected cell voltages before the first charge, and check the connector pin-out rather than assuming it matches.
7. Commission slowly. A balance charge and a gentle first cycle, watching cell voltages and temperatures, will expose a drifting cell before the pack goes back in the car. Stop if one cell will not hold with the rest.
8. Record what went in. Log every NMC cell identifier against the vehicle so the next service visit knows exactly what is inside.

Certifications & Transport Documents

Ordering & Delivery

1. Send the vehicle and the count. Tell us which car — i-MiEV, iOn or C-Zero — and how many cells the build needs, plus your module layout if you have a drawing. It makes matching and packing right the first time.
2. Ask about sample terms. There is no strict minimum order quantity; ask your sales contact about sample availability and the current terms for a test set before planning a full build.
3. Decide between cells and a built pack. As an NMC prismatic cell supplier we also handle battery pack OEM/ODM work — send the module drawing, BMS details and connector type, and the team will scope the assembly.
4. Mixed and repeat orders. EVE prismatic cells, NMC pouch cells, LiFePO4 cells and modules can travel in the same shipment where the transport paperwork allows, which keeps a multi-project order on one set of documents.
5. Choose the shipping term. As a lithium battery supplier we ship FOB, CIF, DAP and DDP for most countries, and DDP door-to-door with duty paid is the option most customers choose. Confirm the term and the port or warehouse address with your sales contact.
6. Documents travel with the goods. Cells move as dangerous goods; we pack and label them for the mode you choose and send the MSDS, UN38.3 report and transport assessment with the shipment.
7. Confirm timing and payment. Lead time and payment terms depend on quantity, cell model and destination — settle both with your sales contact before the order is placed.

Pack Mixing & Replacement

• Partial replacement works at module level, not cell level. Rebuild the module that has failed and leave the healthy modules sealed. Dropping one or two new cells into an otherwise original module mixes ages and internal resistances in the same compression stack, and that is the module you will be reopening first.
• The pack stays limited by its weakest cell. These cars run an 88-cell series string, so every cell carries the same current. Keep original-capacity modules alongside higher-capacity rebuilt modules and the string can only use what the original cells can deliver: the car may run correctly, but the extra capacity does not turn into range until the whole pack is rebuilt.
• Never mix different capacities inside one module. A module is the smallest unit worth matching. If you cannot fill a module with same-capacity cells, wait for the rest of the batch rather than closing it with a mismatch.
• Match on internal resistance as well as capacity. The original's higher resistance means it sags further and runs hotter under load, and that spread is what the BMS acts on.
• Different chemistries do not belong in the same pack. LiFePO4 sits at a different nominal voltage and operating window, so charger and BMS thresholds no longer line up. Keep NMC throughout, whatever else you are building.
• Decide the scope before you order. A module-level repair restores a car with one failed module; a full 88-cell rebuild is the route to a real range increase. Tell us which one you are doing, because it changes the quantity and the batch matching.
• Send the layout with the order. Note how many cells you are keeping, read the markings on every retained cell, and measure capacity and internal resistance where you have the equipment. We will supply the new cells as one matched batch so the rebuilt modules stay consistent.
• Record both sides of the pack. Log the barcode of every new cell and the position of every original you keep. If a module misbehaves later, that record tells you whether the fault sits in the new set or the old one and saves opening the pack twice.

Quality Control & Inspection

Every order is checked before it leaves us. In-depth partnerships with CATL, CALB, EVE, Farasis and other leading manufacturers give us traceable, original-brand cells, and our team runs a full inspection pass on every shipment, with sampling checks on packaging and labels. Anything that fails is held back, replaced and reported to you before dispatch. You are welcome to send your own inspector or appoint a third-party agency; we arrange access, samples and the documents they need, and the same paperwork travels with the goods.

FAQ