CATL Aims To Massively Expand EV Battery-Swap Infrastructure

Matthew Broersma,
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A first-generation CATL battery-swap station. Image credit: CATL

World’s biggest EV battery maker CATL aims to build 1,000 battery-swap stations next year, rising to 30,000 as it seeks standardisation

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CATL, the world’s largest maker of batteries for electric vehicles, said it plans to build 1,000 battery-swapping stations for EVs next year with plans to ultimately build 30,000 swap stations in China.

The firm said it has worked with carmakers to develop 10 new EV models using two new swappable battery packs.

The packs, called “Choco-SEB”, for Swapping Electric Blocks, called 20# and 25#, are designed for smaller and larger cars respectively, and come with monthly subscription plans allowing drivers to swap the batteries at any time.

The packs can be swapped in about one minute at one of CATL’s EVOGO swap stations, CATL said.

CATL chief executive Robin Zheng speaks at the company's battery swap ecosystem announcement in Xiamen, China on 18 December. Image credit: CATL
CATL chief executive Robin Zheng speaks at the company’s battery swap ecosystem announcement in Xiamen, China on 18 December. Image credit: CATL

Standardisation

“We will continue to promote the standardisation of battery swapping, and the most important thing is the standardisation of battery size,” said CATL founder and chief executive Robin Zheng at an announcement on Wednesday in Xiamen, where the firm is based.

China is the world’s largest car market and state backing has helped it to become heavily electrified, with EVs beginning to outsell petrol-powered vehicles this year, according to domestic statistics.

Charging at home or the country’s standardised charging stations remains the most common way to recharge batteries, but carmakers such as Nio have backed swap stations as a complementary way to quickly swap out depleted batteries with fresh ones.

The swap technology requires carmakers to adhere to a standardised configuration allowing the battery pack to be removed and replaced by an automated system, and to date most EV makers have not adopted such standards.

After building 1,000 stations next year on its own, CATL said it plans to build an additional 10,000 stations with partners and is eventually targeting 30,000, which would supplant about one-third of China’s roughly 100,000 petrol stations.

A first-generation CATL battery-swap station. Image credit: CATL
A first-generation CATL battery-swap station. Image credit: CATL

Swap stations

Zheng said the company has worked with carmakers GAC, SAIC, Wuling and FAW to build 10 EV models using the Choco-SEB batteries, rolling out beginning in the first quarter of 2025.

“By 2030, battery swapping is expected to meet one-third of the energy replenishment needs for electric vehicles,” said Zheng.

SAIC entered the battery-swap market in January 2022 with its EVOGO swap station brand.

Nio has built more than 2,800 swap stations in China as of December, which take about three minutes to replace a battery.