[CATL] News & Updates

CATL Chocolate Battery Swap Discloses Network Plan: Over 3,000 Stations by End of 2026, Building an “11 Vertical and 9 Horizontal” Highway Backbone Network in 2027

CATL Chocolate Battery Swap disclosed its network plan: by the end of 2026, the number of battery swap stations nationwide is expected to exceed 3,000, covering nearly 216 cities, with stations findable within 10 minutes in more core urban areas; by 2027, highway battery swap stations will reach 1,000, forming an “11 Vertical and 9 Horizontal” backbone network, with a long-term target of 30,000 stations. A single station can provide up to 600 services per day, and most will be equipped with Shenxing supercharging piles and upgraded into integrated swap-supercharging stations, maintaining 99-second battery swap efficiency. Under the same land and power capacity, the service capacity per parking space is three times that of a standalone charging station, and the stations can also serve as distributed energy storage to participate in grid peak shaving, frequency regulation, and green power consumption.

3002 days ago

The Carbon Ledger of a Battery: As the EU Compliance Timetable Tightens, Who Is Sprinting Ahead and Who Is Falling Behind

The EU's New Battery Regulation carbon footprint requirements are being phased in: from February 2026, third-party verified carbon footprint declarations must be submitted; from 18 August, A-to-E class labels must be affixed; from August 2027, the battery passport takes effect; and from 2029, products exceeding limits will be banned from sale. About 40% to 50% of a power battery's carbon footprint comes from upstream mining and smelting, making it hard to meet the standard through factory green power alone. Leading players are sprinting ahead through green power substitution, closed loops of recycled materials, sodium-ion innovation and cascading carbon data upstream, while smaller suppliers' data capabilities and standard-setting influence have become key variables.

1532 days ago

Behind the Real-Person In-Vehicle Thermal Runaway Test: Battery Safety Validation Is Shifting from Extreme Marketing to Real-World Conditions

In 2026, Geely Galaxy TT, together with CATL and CATARC Automotive Test Center, completed a real-person in-vehicle, single-cell thermal runaway test under conditions of 40°C high temperature, 96% SOC, and internal heating trigger, with the result being no fire, no explosion, and no smoke. After GB 38031-2025, the new national standard, set "no fire, no explosion" as a mandatory baseline, tests beyond the national standard such as gunshots, fire, and high-altitude drops have increased. Drawing on Ouyang Minggao's judgment of "whole-process safety," this article discusses the boundary between extreme testing and validation under real-world conditions.

5162 days ago

From Product Export to Systemic Roots: The Three Stages of Deep Globalization in the Automotive Supply Chain and the Talent Imperative

On September 9, 2026, the 20th anniversary celebration of the Automotive Talent Committee of the China Talent Research Society was held. Fu Yuwu, Yang Hong, and others discussed supply chain globalization: technology windows such as electrical/electronic architecture, smart cockpits, and intelligent driving are opening opportunities for Chinese suppliers, but winning orders is only admission. Building plants, R&D, ESG compliance, and cross-cultural system capabilities determine whether they can take root, while interdisciplinary talent ultimately determines how far they can go.

1362 days ago

Li Auto Responds on Self-Developed Batteries: In-House PACK, Contract-Manufactured Cells, MEGA Switches for Orders Locked on September 7

On September 8, Li Auto responded to concerns about its self-developed batteries: PACK is self-developed and self-manufactured, cells are self-developed and contract-manufactured, and after-sales service will not differ based on manufacturing source. Self-developed batteries have entered mass production on the L8, L6, and i8; MEGA orders locked after 15:00 on September 7 will switch to self-developed 5C ternary lithium batteries, with deliveries beginning in November; the i9 will fully switch after capacity ramp-up; in the fourth quarter, the 2026 i6 will be equipped with self-developed 5C batteries and Mach chips. This article reviews the switching cadence and examines the significance of battery autonomy and controllability for the cost and supply cadence of overseas models.

4102 days ago

From One-Way Input to Two-Way Flow: Chinese Smart Driving and Battery Technologies Enter the Global Systems of Multinational Automakers

Starting in the third quarter of 2026, the HS8 driver assistance system developed by CARIZON will be installed in seven models from Volkswagen's three joint ventures in China; the Neue Klasse BMW iX3 will offer a smart driving system co-developed with Momenta as standard across the lineup. From power battery technology licensing to global lidar market share, China's supply chain and AI capabilities are extending outward along with multinational automakers' systems. This article reviews the relevant data and cooperation models, and points out that this is not a simple "one-way export," but a two-way flow of technology, knowledge and industrial capability.

4732 days ago

CATL Locks In 400,000-Ton Copper Foil Capacity Over Three Years, Reshaping Supply Chain Model

CATL signed strategic cooperation agreements with Taijin New Energy, HKC New Materials and other partners to jointly build 400,000 tonnes of copper foil capacity over three years, covering equipment procurement, cost-based pricing, joint R&D and green power sharing—marking a shift from traditional procurement to a co-governance supply chain model.

3724 days ago

Li Auto's In-House Batteries to Cover Full Lineup Starting Q4 2026

Li Auto announced its in-house batteries will cover the entire vehicle lineup, encompassing a complete technology system spanning 5C cells, packs and BMS. Starting Q4 2026, the new-generation MEGA, all-new i9 and 2026 i6 will progressively switch to in-house batteries while maintaining a dual-brand route with CATL.

2994 days ago

CATL Signs Copper Foil Supply Chain Deals, 400,000 Tonnes Capacity Planned Over 3 Years

CATL signed strategic cooperation agreements with Xi'an Taijin and Shenzhen Huike, covering centralized procurement, joint capacity development, and collaborative R&D, planning 400,000 tonnes of new copper foil capacity over three years.

3816 days ago

AVATR 07L Launches at 219,900 Yuan as First Production Model with Huawei ADS 5

On August 8, 2026, AVATR 07L officially launched with limited-time pricing of 219,900-269,900 yuan. As the first production vehicle with Huawei Qian Kun ADS 5, it features an 896-line LiDAR and 27 sensors, with the tri-motor variant sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds.

44122 days ago

Cumulative Sales Surpass 100K: Changan Qinyuan Q05 Tops Charts for 4 Months

On August 11, 2026, Changan Qinyuan announced that cumulative sales of the all-new Q05 surpassed 100,000 units. With 18,871 units delivered in July, the model has topped compact SUV sales for 4 consecutive months and claimed the H1 2026 compact pure EV SUV sales championship. Starting at 79,900 RMB, the Q05 features CATL battery cells across all trims, with high-end versions offering LiDAR.

27022 days ago

33m Braking + Huawei DriveONE: How Strong Is Aion Ray7's Chassis?

On August 19, GAC Aion unveiled the Ray7, the first model of its new Ray series. It features the world's first Huawei DriveONE chip-level drive-brake fusion architecture, positioned as a mid-to-large pure electric sedan with an expected price of 150,000-200,000 yuan.

40823 days ago

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