CATL, BAIC Sign Deal to Jointly Develop Battery Products

On March 13, Chinese battery giant CATL (Chinese:宁德时代) signed a strategic partnership agreement with state-owned automobile manufacturer BAIC Group (Chinese:北汽集团). As part of the agreement, CATL will have a significant role in the development and production of BAIC vehicles, and will supply them with high-quality batteries and related services.

The partnership between BAIC Group and CATL can be traced back to 2010. In the past 13 years, the two companies have continuously deepened their collaboration in various areas such as supply, technology development, battery standards and specifications development, and after-sales service.

BAIC, which was previously focused on producing fuel-powered cars, has been making strides to transform itself into an electric vehicle manufacturer. Its holding company, Beijing Electric Vehicle Co., Ltd., has been collaborating with various technology companies to incorporate advanced features like auxiliary driving and cockpit detection into its vehicles. BAIC’s partnership with Huawei is particularly noteworthy. In 2018, the two companies established the “1873 Davidson Innovation Lab”, and together they launched the HI version of ARCFOX Alpha S last year.

As part of its strategic plan, BAIC Group aims to leverage technology platforms such as big data, blockchain, information security, and artificial intelligence to drive its development and growth. By 2025, the company intends to fully integrate these technologies into its operations to enhance efficiency, improve product quality, and optimize its supply chain. The use of these advanced technologies will enable BAIC to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving automotive industry and meet the evolving needs of its customers.