Li Auto and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) have signed a five-year comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement to deepen collaboration in battery technology and expand their global reach, the companies said on Wednesday.
The deal, signed in the presence of Li Auto CEO Li Xiang and CATL CEO Robin Zeng, will focus on areas including battery safety, supercharging technology and joint efforts to expand domestic and international business operations, CATL said in a statement. The battery maker will continue supplying Li Auto with a full range of systems, including ternary lithium, M3P, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and sodium-ion batteries.
CATL noted that more than 1 million Li Auto vehicles powered by its batteries have been delivered to date, without any reported thermal runaway incidents. The company remains Li Auto’s primary supplier, having participated in its product strategy since its founding in 2015, though additional suppliers such as Sunwoda and Svolt Energy have since been added for select lower-priced variants.
Li Auto, which launched its first pure-electric model, the Li Mega MPV, in March with a CATL-developed 5C ultra-fast charging battery pack, will unveil its second pure-electric SUV, the Li i6, on Sept. 26. CATL and Sunwoda will provide batteries for the new model.
CATL retained its position as the world’s largest power battery manufacturer with a 37.5% global market share between January and July, according to SNE Research. In August, its installations in China reached 26.45 GWh, accounting for 42.35% of the market, the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA) said.
