Daihatsu Motor Company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota, announced on Wednesday (16/11) a strategic partnership with China-based battery manufacturer CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited).
According to the agreement, CATL will provide a steady supply of lithium-ion batteries for Daihatsu’s upcoming electric vehicles (EV), which will be offered in Japan as well as in emerging markets.
āWith CATL’s advanced battery, Daihatsu will be able to increase the production and performance of high-quality, affordable electric vehicles not only in Japan but also in emerging markets. This cooperation will accelerate Daihatsu’s transition to electrified production and help achieve its long-term zero carbon goal, said Soichiro Okudaira, President of Daihatsu.
Meanwhile, the two companies did not provide any info on battery chemistry, but Daihatsu is particularly interested in CATL’s cell-to-pack (CTP) battery system as well as the BMS in the latest 3.0 version.
Reporting from Inside EV, Wednesday (16/11/2022) Japanese car manufacturers are starting to switch to producing all-electric micro-vehicles (kei cars), after their competitors, namely Nissan and Mitsubishi, are currently also focusing on working on a similar segment.
Meanwhile, the choice of CATL as a battery partner is not a surprise, considering that CATL is the largest supplier of EV batteries globally and has been Toyota’s partner since at least 2019.
Toyota itself has also used a 72.8 kWh battery made by CATL in one of its EV models, the bZ4X.
