Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) has launched its first battery pack production lines located within another company’s facility, with two Cell-to-Pack (CTP) 2.0 lines now operational at Seres’ manufacturing site in Chongqing, western China.
The move marks the battery maker’s debut production footprint in Chongqing and forms part of a broader effort to enhance manufacturing efficiency and shorten lead times for electric vehicle (EV) customers. Operating under a “factory-in-factory” model, the new lines are situated within the Seres plant but remain fully controlled by CATL, allowing tighter coordination between cell production and vehicle assembly.
Battery packs manufactured at the facility are being used in Aito vehicles, a premium electric car brand backed by Seres and supported by Huawei through technology and distribution partnerships. The new lines will help fulfill an agreement signed in 2022, under which all Aito models are to be powered by CATL battery systems through 2027.
In addition to lithium-ion batteries, the new production facility is expected to supply emerging sodium-ion technologies. The Aito M6, an upcoming volume model, is reportedly set to feature a new sodium-containing battery pack developed by CATL. The model’s plug-in hybrid variant is expected to use the Freevoy battery, which integrates sodium-ion chemistry, while the battery-electric version will be equipped with CATL’s Qilin battery.
Early reports indicate that the sodium-ion pack may support fast-charging capabilities significantly above previous benchmarks, potentially reducing recharge times to a few minutes. This would position the technology as a viable option for extended-range electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
Beyond vehicle battery production, CATL and Seres are also advancing a joint energy project that includes solar generation and buffer storage, aimed at powering the Chongqing facility sustainably.
Source: yicaiglobal.com, carnewschina.com