- GAC Aion will launch a battery swap version of the Aion RT in April, while BAIC Arcfox is set to unveil a battery swap sedan.
- CATL is accelerating infrastructure construction, planning to build over 3,000 battery swap stations in China by the end of 2026.
CATL (HKG: 3750, SHE: 300750) is gaining more automaker support for its battery swap expansion, with GAC Aion and BAIC Arcfox both preparing new models that support the battery giant's Choco-SEB solution.
GAC Aion announced Thursday that it will officially launch a battery swap version of the Aion RT in April, featuring a 99-second ultra-fast full-charge experience.
For reference, the updated Aion RT was launched in September 2025. The family sedan comes in four variants, with official prices ranging from 99,800 yuan ($14,460) to 123,800 yuan.
Following closely, Arcfox announced Friday that a battery swap version of its new-generation spacious pure-electric family sedan will soon make its official debut.
The new model will also plug into CATL's Choco swap network, promising consumers a 99-second ultra-fast energy replenishment experience.
The announcements mark an accelerated rollout of CATL's battery swap ecosystem in the Chinese market, which is expected to further reshape the EV charging landscape.
This is not the first time automakers have adopted CATL's battery swap solution. GAC Aion previously launched the Aion UT super in November 2025, targeting the 100,000 yuan market segment.
The model features charging and swapping mode. Under the battery rental scheme, the starting price is just 49,900 yuan, while the full vehicle purchase price starts at 89,900 yuan.
CATL has previously established partnerships with both automakers, including signing a 10-year comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with GAC Group in November 2025.
CATL and BAIC signed a cooperation agreement in June 2024 to collaborate deeply in areas including skateboard chassis and the development of battery swap models.
With the growing number of cooperative models, CATL is significantly accelerating the nationwide construction of its battery swap infrastructure.
By the end of 2025, the company had built 1,020 Choco swap stations in just one year, with its service network covering 45 key cities across the country.
Driven by strong business momentum, CATL raised its 2026 station construction target at the end of 2025 to over 3,000, up from the previous goal of 2,500.
The company's long-term goal is to reach 30,000 Choco swap stations and open a franchise program, while adopting high-performance sodium-ion batteries on a large scale starting in 2026.
($1 = 6.9032 yuan)
