Japanese automaker Mazda will partner with Chinese firms Changan and CATL to develop electric vehicles based on CATL’s CIIC skateboard platform, the companies said, a move aimed at accelerating EV development and production.
The collaboration will allow Changan Mazda, a joint venture between Mazda and Changan, to leverage CATL’s cell-to-chassis technology, which integrates battery cells directly into the vehicle chassis, making the battery a structural element. This approach, CATL claims, will help automakers reduce development times and better respond to evolving market demands.
“The cooperation aims to decouple vehicle development from the body and underbody,” the companies stated, adding that concentrating drive components in the chassis would enable faster rollout of next-generation new energy vehicles (NEVs).
CATL officially unveiled its CIIC (CATL Integrated Intelligent Chassis) platform in December 2023. The first model to use the 800-volt skateboard chassis was the Neta S estate, followed by JAC’s Yiwei brand, which is using the platform to develop EVs with swappable battery options. Changan Mazda now becomes the latest brand to adopt the CIIC platform for its future electric line-up.
The focus of the partnership will be on chassis integration and joint manufacturing capabilities, suggesting a streamlined approach to vehicle design and production.
Mazda has been stepping up its EV efforts in China. At the 2023 Beijing Motor Show, Changan Mazda unveiled the Mazda EZ-6 electric sedan, set to launch in Europe as the Mazda6e. In April 2025, the