CATL wants to phase out gas stations with ambitous EV battery swap plans, 10 new EVs
The world’s leading EV battery maker wants to make gas stations a thing of the past. On Wednesday, CATL revealed ambitious plans to expand its EV battery swap network with ten new models. By swapping batteries, EV drivers can get a fully charged pack within two minutes. That’s even quicker than filling up your gas tank.
With a commanding lead over the global EV battery market, CATL now has a new target as it looks to phase out gas-powered vehicles.
CATL announced plans to roll out 1,000 EV battery swap stations across China next year as electric models continue to gain market share. The initiative is designed to accelerate EV adoption by making it easier and more convenient to drive an electric car.
“As the market leader, we will join hands with our partners to create a sound ecosystem to achieve innovative breakthroughs,” CATL’s founder and chairman, Robin Zeng, said during a press briefing on Wednesday (via The South China Morning Post).
The battery giant said its new stations would enable EV drivers to swap batteries within 100 seconds. At that, you can gain a full charge faster than it would take to fill a gas tank.
CATL has been in the market since 2022 after launching EVOGO, its battery swap brand. However, initial plans called for smaller packs with the option of using more than one.
CATL updates plans to expand EV battery swap stations
With its new “Chocolate” SEB batteries, CATL is making it even easier. The new battery packs are a single unit designed for passenger car use. Zeng said “the most important thing” is the standardization of battery size. It has already secured over 107,500 orders for its Choco-SEB batteries from more than 30 companies.
Like different gasoline grades, CATL offers two new Choco-SEB batteries. The #20 pack is designed for A0 cars (small and hatchback models), while the #25 is built for larger A or B-class vehicles.
Both packs will be available in LFP-based or NMC chemistry options. With a capacity of up to 42 kWh, CATL’s #20 LFP pack provides a CLTC driving range of up to 400 km (248 miles). Meanwhile, the #20 NMC battery pack, with a capacity of up to 52 kWh, can provide a range of up to 500 km (310 miles).
The #25 LFP pack, with a 56 kWh capacity, can travel up to 500 km (310 miles), while the NMC option, with a 70 kWh capacity, provides a range of up to 600 km (373 miles).
Pricing starts at 369 yuan, or about $51 per month (#20 LFP pack) for up to 3,000 km (1,864 miles). You can also opt for unlimited mileage for 469 yuan ($64).
The global battery leader revealed ten new EVs jointly developed with its partners that will use the new battery swap tech. These include several highly anticipated models like the GAC AION S, Wuling Bingo and Starlight, as well as SAIC’s Rising F7, Maxus Mifa 9, and Maxus Dana.
CATL plans to build at least 30,000 EV battery swap stations in the future. The first 1,000 will be built by CATL, and the following 10,000 will be developed jointly with its partners.
Several other companies in China, including NIO, are rapidly expanding EV battery swap stations across China. According to CnEVPost, NIO’s swap network now covers 18 of China’s busiest highways with 913 stations.
Source: SCMP, CATL
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Honda teases two 0 Series EV prototypes to be unveiled at CES and hit the global market in 2026
Honda announced it will be back at CES this year, unveiling the next phase of its new 0 Series line of EVs. At this year’s event in Las Vegas, Honda intends to unveil two prototype EVs based on the concepts that debuted a year prior. This will be our next look at Honda’s 0 Series progress as it looks to bring these two initial models to market in 2026.
While Honda is a household name in automotive and other motor-powered vehicles, its presence in the EV space has been limited but growing. The company currently sells the Prologue EV, built atop GM’s Ultium Platform, but it has yet to deliver US consumers an entirely bespoke model.
That era will begin with Honda’s upcoming 0 Series line of all-electric vehicles. We got our first public view of Honda’s new 0 Series design language during CES 2024 this past January when the Japanese automaker unveiled two EV concepts called “Saloon” and “Space-Hub.”
At the time, Honda said the two concepts represented a design precursor to Honda’s next-generation EVs. This past October, I visited Honda’s design center in Japan, where I saw the Saloon concept inside and out. I even got to test drive the automaker’s new 0 Series EV platform. However, it was implemented on an Accord body, so it was difficult to get a feel for how its upcoming bespoke models, like the Saloon, will drive.
Honda has previously stated that the Saloon will be one of two passenger EVs to hit the market in the 0 Series, and the automaker has taken the next step in that process, moving from concepts to prototypes, which it is now teasing ahead of their reveal at CES 2025.
Honda to unveil two 0 Series prototypes, new tech at CES
Honda posted the two teaser images above today, along with the date and location of their official reveal at CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 7. According to Honda, these prototypes represent the next models in the Honda 0 Series, which are slotted to hit global market in 2026.
Honda has yet to share many more details about the EV prototypes, but they are clearly evolutions of the Saloon and Space-Hub concepts that debuted at least one year ago. It seems these two bespoke BEVs will be the first in Honda’s 0 Series lineup to hit the market and offer very different designs for consumers. Per the release:
In January at CES 2024, Honda premiered the Honda 0 Series and its ‘Thin, Light and Wise’ development approach. At CES 2025, Honda will provide further details on this approach with a focus on the ‘Wise’ value.
The “Thin, Light, and Wise” approach was at the core of all of Honda’s presentations and demonstrations during my five days in Japan earlier this year, and I learned a lot about the company’s goals and philosophy as it looks to catch up in a an exciting and ever-evolving global EV market.
That being said, the Honda team kept most of its cards to its chest and was extremely vague about what technologies that we were shown would actually make their way into bonafide production EVs. I found Honda’s unique production and assembly techniques most fascinating, especially since it was some of the only concrete tactics we could confirm.
Equipment like 6,000-ton megacasting machines—six of which will go into operation at Honda’s US production facility in Ohio—and Honda’s proprietary Constant DC Chopping (CDC) welding technology will help the automaker reduce the number of individual parts and overall vehicle weight while increasing passive safety performance.
In terms of the specs of Honda’s 0 Series EVs, however, we are still very much in the dark. In addition to unveiling its two EV prototypes, Honda said it would introduce a new vehicle OS and automated driving technologies that will be implemented in the 0 Series models. So, we will get more insight into what these future BEVs can do (finally).
At CES 2025, Honda will also provide an overview of the System on Chip (SoC) that will support the Honda 0 Series models and the Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV), which is “at the core of the ‘Wise’ value.” All eyes will be on the Honda booth on January 7, 2025, when we will follow up with a full recap.
Honda CES 2025 press conference details:
Date/Time: Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 10:30 – 11:00 AM (local time)
Venue: Honda booth (West Hall, booth #4640) at Las Vegas Convention Center
Livestreaming URL: https://youtube.com/live/3M87dqNbY3U
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![Jaguar's controversial $200,000 ultra-luxury EV spotted out in public [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Jaguars-electric-GT.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Jaguar’s radical new EV has been the center of attention over the past few weeks. For better or worse, the British automaker is plowing ahead with plans to turn sales around with a new lineup of ultra-luxury electric models. As it prepares for a new era, Jaguar’s first EV, an electric 4-door GT, was just spotted in public. Check out the video of the controversial model below.
After unveiling its new Type 00 EV concept, Jaguar has seen more attention over the past month than it has in the past 20 years.
The company claimed the concept was “Jaguar at its best,” showing “an unmistakable, unexpected and dramatic physical manifestation” of the brand. It was unmistakable and unexpected to see the least.
Some loved Jaguar’s bold new design, while many teased the company. Even Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk and Lucid Motors had something to say. Musk wrote on X, “Do you sell cars?” while Lucid responded with a photo of its souped-up Air Sapphire luxury sedan.
Jaguar will stop building most models by the end of the year as it preps for a new all-electric luxury lineup. Although Jaguar Land Rover said the new EVs would cost over £100,000 ($130,000), prices will be even higher.
In an interview with The Sunday Times (Via EuroNews) earlier this month, CEO Adrian Mardell said that the new lineup will likely be priced around £150,000, or nearly $200,000.
With its official debut coming up, Jaguar’s first EV from the new lineup was spotted testing in public. The new video from KindelAuto reveals the 4-door test vehicle near JLR’s engineering center.
Despite the camouflage, you can see the prototype stays close to the Type 00 concept design with a fastback profile and “exuberant proportions.”
Jaguar will reveal its new 4-door EV GT in late 2025, with sales expected to follow in mid-2026. Based on its new JEA (Jaguar Electric Architecture), the company expects an EPA driving range of 430 miles (692 km) and up to 478 miles (770 km) on the WLTP cycle.
What do you think of Jaguar’s controversial new luxury EV? Can it survive the transition? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Walmart is working with community solar developer and operator Nexamp to build 31 community solar farms across the US.
The community solar farms are expected to generate over 120 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, create 1,500 construction and operation jobs, and help thousands of households and businesses save money on their energy bills.
This isn’t Walmart’s first collaboration with Nexamp – in 2021, they worked together on a group of solar projects in New York. Now, they’re expanding the effort to bring solar access to communities in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, and Minnesota.
Community solar makes it easier for people to take advantage of clean energy. By subscribing to energy from these solar farms, residents and businesses can lower their utility bills without needing rooftop panels or paying upfront costs. Nexamp estimates these projects will collectively save subscribers over $2 million each year.
“Working with Walmart to expand access to affordable, clean energy is an exciting opportunity for Nexamp and for the communities we serve,” said Nexamp CEO Zaid Ashai. “Together, we are working to deliver benefits for thousands of households across the country.”
Frank Palladino, Walmart’s vice president of renewable energy strategy, highlighted the impact: “Our collaboration with Nexamp is intended to help communities save money on energy bills, strengthen local grid infrastructure, and drive local job creation.”
Walmart has made a pledge to enable 10 GW of new clean energy projects by 2030.
Read more: Wisconsin’s most powerful solar farm just got the go-ahead
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports9 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway