Contemporary battery swap agreement between CATL and Car Inc will result in the deployment of more than 100,000 battery-swapping compatible vehicles to their fleet.
In a significant move towards a sustainable new energy mobility ecosystem, CATL and Car Inc have recently joined forces to introduce over 100,000 battery-swappable vehicles into China's car rental market.
The strategic agreement, which was signed at CATL's headquarters in Ningde, Fujian province, involves CATL's subsidiary Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology (CAES), Car Inc, and CMB Leasing.
- Battery-Swappable Vehicles
The partnership aims to bring battery-swappable cars to Car Inc's fleet, using CATL's standardized #20 and #25 battery swap blocks. These vehicles will offer a driving range of 400 to 600 kilometers[1][3][4].
- Market Focus
The collaboration targets mainstream vehicle segments from A0 to B classes, covering economy, comfort, and business models. The deployment will focus on first-tier and emerging first-tier cities in China[1][3][5].
- Technology and Infrastructure
The vehicles will utilize CATL's Choco-SEB (or Choco-Swap) technology. Additionally, CATL plans to expand its battery swap stations significantly, with over 400 stations already built and a goal of surpassing 1,000 by the end of 2025[2][5].
- Sustainability and Services
The collaboration includes building a comprehensive ecosystem integrating energy replenishment, asset operations, financial support, and mobility services. CAES will develop a battery health monitoring platform to ensure real-time safety and performance stability[3][4].
The partnership's goal is to create a sustainable new energy mobility ecosystem in China, leveraging the strengths of both companies to accelerate the adoption of battery-swappable vehicles.
- By 2030, CATL expects battery swap, home charging, and public charging stations to each meet one-third of EV owners' energy needs.
- Car Inc will introduce models supporting battery swap based on CATL's Choco-SEB technology, covering A0 to B-class models.
- CATL plans to leverage Car Inc's over 2,000 offline outlets and parking lot resources in China to jointly build a battery swap network.
The companies also plan to launch a pilot program this year and operate more than 100,000 vehicles supporting battery swap[6][7]. CMB Leasing, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Merchants Bank, will offer competitively priced battery rental solutions to Car Inc's self-operated vehicles[8].
Car Inc's mobile app will integrate battery swap station navigation and payment functions, providing a seamless user experience for battery-swappable vehicles[9]. CATL's battery swap stations will prioritize the use of photovoltaic green electricity and participate in grid peak shaving and frequency regulation[10].
- This strategic partnership between CATL and Car Inc involves leveraging CATL's Choco-SEB technology, aiming to introduce and operate over 100,000 battery-swappable vehicles in China, specifically targeting mainstream vehicle segments from A0 to B classes, using finance and technological innovations to create a seamless experience in the transportation industry.
- With CMB Leasing providing competitively priced battery rental solutions, this collaboration in the automotive industry seeks to establish a sustainable new energy mobility ecosystem, focusing on expanding CATL's battery swap stations, prioritizing green electricity, and ensuring real-time safety through a battery health monitoring platform, thereby advancing finance and technology in China's car rental market.
