The manufacturer of MG cars SAIC signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the world’s biggest battery maker CATL in the battery swap field. In the future, SAIC will make EVs compatible with the CATL’s Choco-SEB swap stations. This agreement marks SAIC’s total abandonment of its battery swap network.
On January 10, CATL chairman Robin Zeng and SAIC chairman Wang Xiaoqiu signed a cooperation agreement at CATL’s headquarters in Ningde city, Fijian province. Two parties will team up in the field of battery swap technology. SAIC will take care of the development and sales of electric cars with swappable batteries. And the CATL will be responsible for the development of standardized swappable batteries.
In 2022, SAIC launched its battery swap stations network, aiming to compete with Nio. Those battery swap stations were dedicated to the Rising-branded electric cars. However, Rising Auto’s cumulative sales volume from July 2021 to November 2024 is 67,146 units. Due to slow sales, Rising poorly developed its battery swap network. The company operated only 26 battery swap stations in 2024. The initial goal was to have at least 300 stations in 2023 and 3,000 stations in 2025. It looks like SAIC abandoned the development process of the battery swap network and joined the CATL’s battery swap alliance.
CATL started developing its battery swap network in 2022, launching the first generation of Choco-SEV (swapping Electric Blocks) batteries. In late 2024, the world’s biggest battery maker released the second-generation Choco-SEB. They come in 20# and 25# packs. They have a capacity of 42 – 70 kWh, suitable for up to 600 km range.
CATL will build its battery swap stations in China. They will store up to 30 battery compartments. It will take 100 seconds to change an empty battery for a full one. The daily capacity is 822 swaps, compared to 480 swaps per day of Nio’s 4-gen PSS (Power Swap Station). The cost of using a Choco-SEB battery swap subscription will be 0.1 yuan/km (0.014 USD), according to CATL. The company will build 1,000 swap stations in 2025, with a target of 30,000 in the final stage.
Previously, GM’s Chinese joint venture with SAIC also joined the CATL’s battery swap alliance. Other companies that joined cooperation with CATL are Changan, GAC, BAIC, and FAW. The world’s biggest battery maker disclosed the list of 10 models that will be compatible with Choco-SEB. There are four SAIC cars: Roewe D7, Rising F7, Maxus Mifa 9, and Maxus Dana.
