BAIC Group and CATL have expanded their collaboration to scale up battery swapping for passenger vehicles. The agreement focuses on joint development of vehicles and batteries, as well as the creation of a comprehensive energy service ecosystem. BAIC intends to increase the number of models compatible with the CATL Choco-SEB system and utilize its dealer network to host new swap stations.
The partnership builds on a June 2024 contract that initially covered vehicle development and data management. Models such as the Arcfox Beta S3 and the Arcfox Beta T1 are already integrated into the swap ecosystem. While the companies aim to support millions of vehicles, they have not yet released a specific timeline or details regarding the scale of the planned infrastructure.
CATL is actively expanding its Choco-SEB network, which provides standardized battery blocks for passenger cars, vans, and trucks. The company currently operates approximately 2 500 swap stations across 200 Chinese cities. Its long-term objective is to grow this network to 30 000 stations. Additionally, Huawei-backed Newcool has recently joined the CATL ecosystem.
