CATL completes 1,650 battery swap stations, targets 3,000 by end of 2026

CATL's battery swap network added 600 stations in less than six months, making it one of the fastest infrastructure rollouts in China's EV sector.

CATL has completed 1,650 Chocolate battery swap stations across 127 Chinese cities as of May, adding more than 600 stations in less than six months as the battery giant expands into commercial EV infrastructure.

The company, through its subsidiary Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology (CAES), partnered with logistics operator DST to deploy standardized battery swap light trucks into urban logistics operations, according to a statement released Monday.

The Choco-swap system completes a battery replacement in 120 seconds, compared with 30 minutes or more for conventional DC fast charging. Over an eight-year vehicle life cycle, the system saves more than 2,000 hours of refueling time, CATL said, while energy replenishment costs run approximately half that of a fuel-powered light truck. The modular swap stations support both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks with wheelbases from 2.7 meters to 3.75 meters, using the company's 25# and 35# battery packs interchangeably.

CATL plans to exceed 3,000 stations by the end of 2026, expanding coverage to nearly 190 cities, and aims to build an "11 vertical and 9 horizontal" highway battery swap network by 2027. The long-term target stands at 30,000 stations. For a company that dominates the global EV battery market, battery swapping represents a capital-intensive bet on infrastructure that could lock in fleet customers for years.

Light Truck Push Targets Urban Logistics

CATL, CAES, and DST plan to deploy 5,000 standardized battery swap light trucks across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area by the end of 2026, which the company said would become China's largest standardized urban distribution battery swap operation cluster. The region currently hosts 31 swap stations for light trucks, with plans to reach 140 by the end of this year, focusing on high-speed logistics corridors and urban distribution hubs.

The economics favor electrification for fleet operators. With energy costs at half those of diesel light trucks and swap times of two minutes versus 10 minutes for refueling, the total cost of ownership advantage widens as utilization increases. CATL is also accelerating battery swapping in the heavy-duty truck segment, though it has not disclosed specific timelines.

Competitive Pressure on Charging Networks and Rivals

CATL's infrastructure push puts pressure on both charging network operators and rival battery makers. Competitors including BYD and Tesla have focused on fast-charging technology rather than swapping, creating a strategic divergence in how the industry approaches commercial fleet electrification. CATL's swap stations are designed for interoperability — supporting both passenger vehicles and trucks with wheelbases from 2.7 meters to 3.75 meters — which could give it an advantage in mixed-use fleet environments.

For investors, the scale of the ambition is the key metric. CATL plans to build more than 3,000 passenger vehicle and light truck swap stations during 2026 alone, with a long-term target of 30,000 stations. The company's stock (03750.HK) rose 2.1% on the announcement, with short selling accounting for 29.7% of turnover, according to exchange data.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.