When BYD made a major move in early March, launching its second-generation blade battery and megawatt flash charging technology, compressing charging time to single digits, and announcing the construction of a large number of flash charging stations, the pressure of “extreme energy replenishment” was back on CATL.

Unsurprisingly, a little over a month later, CATL unveiled a major breakthrough at its Super Tech Day new product launch: the third-generation Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery set a new global record for power battery charging rate, reaching full charge in just six minutes at room temperature. Similarly, CATL also offered an additional solution, proposing for the first time a full-scenario energy replenishment network plan integrating ultra-fast charging and battery swapping.

“It’s not just putting swapping stations and ultra-fast charging piles together, but completely integrating the underlying architecture to achieve global optimization of energy efficiency, replenishment experience, and asset utilization.” Yang Jun, General Manager of CATL’s swapping business, explained. Yang Jun is also CEO of CATL’s subsidiaries, Times Electric Services and Times Qiji, which focus on passenger car and commercial vehicle swapping businesses respectively.

Under ideal conditions of CATL’s latest solution, the integrated ultra-fast charging and swapping station shares the box-type substation and charging modules, reducing energy conversion steps, with an overall power loss rate more than 13 percentage points lower than that of charging stations with energy storage on the market. In case of emergency, the swapping station’s batteries can be used to discharge to charging piles, achieving equipment reuse rates of over 85%. The service capacity per parking space is three times that of a charging station with energy storage, and the fixed investment cost for the ultra-fast charging part is only one-fifth of the latter.

Yang Jun believes that the so-called ultra-fast charging and swapping linkage, from a technical essence, solves two old problems of ultra-fast charging: energy conversion efficiency and grid friendliness. He also pointed out, “The ultra-fast charging solution with energy storage can only be considered a transitional solution.”

It is worth mentioning that, as Yang Jun stated at a media communication meeting, one of the upgrades of the “ultra-fast charging and swapping integration” solution is to improve resource utilization. “The energy replenishment industry faces huge challenges today, with almost the entire industry suffering losses and very low utilization rates.” Yang Jun admitted that while the demand side has huge needs, the supply side has very low utilization rates, which is an unusual industry situation.

In fact, currently both charging stations and swapping stations face difficulties such as low utilization rates, supply-demand mismatch, and profitability pressure. Taking swapping stations as an example, a single station without batteries requires an investment of several million yuan, but the industry as a whole is still in the early stages of “land grabbing” development, making it difficult to discuss asset efficiency.

Additionally, regarding external concerns about the necessity of battery swapping given the extreme ultra-fast charging speeds, Yang Jun emphasized that although public evaluations of swapping focus on “speed” and “good experience,” these are only superficial advantages. He believes more attention should be paid to two deeper levels of understanding of swapping: vehicle-battery separation and the social value behind swapping.

Regarding the former, Yang Jun believes that vehicle-battery separation itself reduces the initial purchase cost. The more attention paid to battery technology iteration, the more it becomes clear that renting is better than buying, because swapping leaves the anxiety to the third-party battery holder. “The physical properties of the battery determine that it will inevitably degrade. Although our batteries are made very well with a gentle degradation curve, they still degrade. Why should consumers bear this degradation?” He said he has always advocated that renting is better than buying, and one advantage is that the battery can be upgraded.

Yang Jun also mentioned that batteries should be recycled and reused as a whole for sustainable development of new energy. “In fact, even for lead-acid batteries, mandatory national recycling has been implemented for over 10 years, but the recycling rate through formal channels has just exceeded 50%. Therefore, in the future, vehicle-battery separation can better promote planned recycling and planned remanufacturing, becoming a source of sustainable development.”

Yang Jun also responded at the communication meeting that CATL and NIO’s swapping are strategic partnerships. “There are not many players on this track, but it is easier for everyone to reach a consensus on the underlying understanding.” He mentioned that the most important issue they need to solve is standardization. “Charging has a national standard, but swapping currently does not. So we have reached a consensus to jointly promote the achievement of China’s national swapping standard, ultimately allowing consumers to avoid making difficult choices.”

At the end of 2024, CATL Chairman Zeng Yuqun predicted at the Chocolate Swapping Ecosystem Conference that by 203

BYD

BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams,” is a Chinese multinational company founded in 1995 that initially manufactured rechargeable batteries. It later became a leading global manufacturer of electric vehicles, buses, and renewable energy solutions. The company, headquartered in Shenzhen, has grown rapidly since the early 2000s, supported by government policies promoting green technology, and is now one of the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers.

CATL

CATL, or Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, is a Chinese battery manufacturer founded in 2011 in Ningde, Fujian Province. It quickly rose to become the world’s largest producer of electric vehicle batteries, powering major automakers like Tesla, BMW, and Volkswagen. The company’s rapid growth reflects China’s strategic push to dominate the global clean energy and EV supply chain.

Times Electric Services

Times Electric Services is a well-known electrical repair and service company, though its specific history is not widely documented as a major cultural site. It likely began as a local business providing electrical maintenance, repairs, and installations, serving residential and commercial customers over several decades. While not a historic landmark, it represents the small-scale entrepreneurial spirit common in many communities.

Times Qiji

“Times Qiji” appears to be a misspelling or alternate reference; if you mean “Times Square” (Shiqi in Chinese), it is a major commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, known for its bright billboards and Broadway theaters. Originally named Longacre Square, it was renamed in 1904 after *The New York Times* moved its headquarters there, and it has since become a global symbol of entertainment and urban culture. If you intended a different site, please clarify the name.

NIO

NIO is a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer founded in 2014, known for its premium smart electric cars and innovative battery-swapping technology. The company quickly gained attention for its high-performance models and customer-centric services, such as the NIO Power network and NIO Houses. As of the mid-2020s, NIO has expanded internationally and become a key player in the global EV market.

Chocolate Swapping Ecosystem Conference

The Chocolate Swapping Ecosystem Conference is a unique gathering focused on the sustainable exchange of cacao and chocolate products, fostering direct trade between small-scale farmers, artisans, and consumers. Emerging from grassroots efforts to combat unfair labor practices and environmental degradation in the chocolate industry, the conference promotes transparency and community-driven economics. Its history traces back to early 2010s initiatives by ethical chocolate advocates seeking to bypass traditional supply chains and create a more equitable global cacao network.