Category: eMobility

CATL launches battery swap solution Qiji Energy for heavy-duty trucks

In the Qiji Energy solution, a single battery block has a capacity of 171 kWh and heavy-duty trucks can choose to use 1-3 blocks.

Chinese power battery giant has unveiled a battery swap solution for heavy-duty trucks, following the release of a similar solution for passenger cars early last year.

CATL unveiled the Qiji Energy solution, consisting of battery swap stations, battery blocks and a cloud platform, at an online launch event today.

The battery swap stations for heavy trucks use adaptive tuning technology and cover the full wheelbase of heavy trucks.

The battery blocks, or electric blocks, are powered by CATL's third-generation lithium iron phosphate batteries with no heat dispersion technology and a cycle life of over 15,000 cycles.

Similar to EVOGO's Choco-SEB (swapping electric block), which it released last year, the solution for heavy trucks supports flexible use of the number of batteries in the vehicle.

With a single electric block capacity of 171 kWh, heavy trucks can choose to use 1-3 blocks, and the entire battery replacement process takes only a few minutes.

The cloud platform helps drivers make battery swap service appointments, plan driving routes and allows CATL to manage assets.

In a vehicle-battery separation model, a heavy truck can save between RMB 30,000 (US$4,200) and RMB 60,000 in annual costs, CATL said.

On January 18, 2022, CATL officially announced EVOGO, the battery swap brand for passenger cars, primarily for the shared mobility market.

EVOGO offers a battery swap solution consisting of battery blocks, fast battery swap stations, and an app.

The battery block, called Choco-SEB by CATL, is a mass-produced battery developed specifically for shared mobility, allowing consumers to select one or more batteries to match their mileage needs.

The battery block can be adapted to 80 percent of the world's models already on the market and those developed on all-electric platforms that will be available in the next three years, CATL said at the time.

On June 6, CATL said EVOGO's battery swap service became available in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, with the first three battery swap stations already in operation. Prior to that, the service was already available in Xiamen, Hefei and Guiyang.

($1 = RMB 7.1424)

CATL unveils module to bracket battery technology for heavy trucks

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Lucid and Fisker are both preparing to sell vehicles in China

Lucid Air SapphireLucid and Fisker in the past week separately announced plans to sell vehicles in China soon. The head of Lucid's China operations confirmed to Reuters Thursday that the automaker was planning to enter the Chinese market. The Reuters report also cited an anonymous source with knowledge of Lucid's plans, who said the automaker plans to sell imported...

US EV startup Fisker plans to open delivery center in China this year

"I believe we can get production up and running in China as early as next year, potentially adding capacity of 75,000 Fisker Oceans annually," Fisker CEO said.

(Image credit: Fisker)

Fisker (NYSE: FSR) plans to open a delivery center in China this year, becoming the next US electric vehicle (EV) startup to target the Chinese market after Lucid Motors (NASDAQ: LCID).

Fisker plans to open a delivery center in China in 2023 and start delivering the Fisker Ocean SUV in the first quarter of 2024, the company said in a June 9 press release.

Fisker's leadership team recently visited China and met with officials and business leaders in Shanghai to discuss cooperation and opportunities in the region, according to the release.

The conversations focused on the automotive supply chain, logistics, warehousing and future production development, Fisker said. The company opened its China office in 2022, according to the release.

"We expect China to be an important growth market for EVs in the future and believe our vehicles will be very appealing. That is why we established an office there and intend to open a delivery center this year," said Henrik Fisker, Fisker's chairman and CEO.

"I believe we can get production up and running in China as early as next year, potentially adding capacity of 75,000 Fisker Oceans annually," he added.

Interestingly, local media outlet Jiemian reported on June 7 that Zhu Jiang, who previously served as an executive at (NYSE: NIO), Ford (NYSE: F) and Auto, the car-making arm of Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU), has joined Lucid to head up its China operations.

Lucid is starting to prepare for its entry into the Chinese market, Zhu told the outlet.

China is the world's largest EV market, with the segment seeing explosive growth over the past two to three years.

Global EV sales are largely driven by China, with 56 percent of total EV sales in the first quarter coming from the Chinese market, market research firm Counterpoint Research said in a June 8 report.

In China, the premium and affordable luxury segment is growing faster than the general segment, Daniel Foa, Fisker's China board member, said at the company's annual shareholders meeting on June 6.

Fisker fits right into that segment with its unique history, features and design, Foa said.

The company recently announced that deliveries of its first production model, the Fisker Ocean all-electric SUV, will begin in the US on June 23. It starts at $37,499 for the Sport interior trim level.

Notably, Chinese power battery giant is a supplier to Fisker.

On November 2, 2021, Fisker announced it signed an agreement with CATL, which will supply batteries for the Ocean SUV.

CATL will provide Fisker with more than 5 GWh of initial capacity per year from 2023 to 2025, according to a previous statement.

Lucid prepares for China entry, hires ex-NIO, Ford exec Zhu Jiang

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