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CATL, the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicle batteries, plans to provide its battery exchange and recycling technology in Europe, in the middle of a global battle to guarantee more sustainable EV supply chains.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Jiang Li, secretary of the Chinese group’s council, said that the exchange of batteries – in which electric vehicle drivers exchange exhausted cells for fully loaded cells – had “huge potential” in Europe to make batteries cheaper and more durable.
The exchange of batteries, the technology launched by the Chinese manufacturer of Nio electric cars, takes minutes and reduces the initial cost of buying an electric car, as drivers do not have their own batteries – the most expensive components of an EV. It also allows cells to be used longer.
The exchange of batteries was slow to develop outside China due to the high cost of building the required service stations. But it gains ground in a context of increasing concerns concerning the battery supply chains on the back of increasing geopolitical tensions and the growth of sales of electric vehicles.
Other companies have already started to introduce battery exchanges in Europe. Nio operates 60 power exchange stations in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Stellantis recently brought battery exchanges in its FIAT 500 electric vehicle fleet in Spain via its Free2Move car sharing service.
But Catl, who Adding a list of Hong Kong In May, has larger -scale plans. He hopes to build 1,000 battery exchange stations by the end of this year in China and 10,000 stations in three years.
“Then we can copy the business model in Europe and other regions,” said LI at an event in London, adding that the group had already discussed the use of exchange technology on the continent with car manufacturers.
Li’s comments come under the name of Brussels is increasing pressure on Chinese companies Enter the EU cars market to train joint ventures with European companies or license parts of their technology.
Li said international cooperation was essential to guarantee sustainable battery supply chains – an increasing priority for countries in the world. Nations, led by the United States, seek to reduce its Dependence on China For crucial critical minerals for the transition to electric vehicles. Companies are also looking for ways to make batteries last longer and recycle reuse materials.
CATL has already authorized its battery manufacturing technology in Ford and Tesla, and has a joint venture with Stellantis to build a lithium battery factory of 4.1 billion euros in Spain.
“We are faced with certain geopolitical difficulties, but we are always open to cooperation, especially in research and development,” he added. “We don’t want to earn money with a single business. We want to share. “
CATL is associated with non -profit organization, Ellen MacArthur Foundation on initiatives designed to create a circular economy. “To create this market demand (for a circular economy), you need a crisis and a tilting point, which is exactly now,” said Jonquil Hackenberg, Managing Director of the Foundation.
CATL, which acquired the Chinese battery recycling group Brunp in 2015, says it can reach a recycling rate of almost 100% for basic critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese. Its exchange technology facilitates the recycling of batteries, as they can be collected in bulk in service stations rather than on individual vehicles.
Li said that CATL wanted to bring its recycling technology to Europe, but warned that stricter regulations and higher costs would make the establishment of a profitable company more difficult on the continent.
In China, Catl A registered more than a dozen Truck manufacturers to use its batteries as part of a wider strategy to diversify its sources of income.
The group also plans to install up to 300 exchange stations on many main Chinese trucking routes, with a goal of expanding this network at 150,000 km of motorways and trunk roads covering 80% of the main freight roads in the country.
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