SAIC-GM-Wuling and CATL Deepen Ties With Fast-Charging Batteries, 3,000 Swap Stations Planned by 2026
SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile and Contemporary Amperex Technology signed a new strategic cooperation agreement on April 14 in Ningde, marking an expansion of a partnership that has already spanned nearly a decade across models such as the Hongguang MINI EV.
Under the agreement, more than 15 new energy vehicle models under SAIC-GM-Wuling will adopt CATL as their core battery supplier. The companies said the cooperation will focus on four areas: scaling industrial deployment, passenger-commercial compatible battery swapping, joint overseas expansion, and broader ecosystem integration.
A newly launched model, the Huajing S, already features CATL batteries and emphasizes high power output alongside fast-charging capability. The partners also plan to co-develop ultra-fast charging technology, targeting a charge from 10% to 80% in around 10 minutes, a threshold that would significantly compress refueling times compared with current mainstream EV charging standards.
In parallel, SAIC-GM-Wuling’s battery-swappable models will be integrated into CATL’s nationwide swap network. The infrastructure plan targets more than 3,000 battery swap stations by the end of 2026. The network will support standardized battery packs ranging from 42 to 56 kilowatt-hours, designed to cover micro cars, A- and B-segment passenger vehicles, as well as commercial logistics fleets. The system is intended to enable “swap and go” refueling, reducing downtime for both consumer and commercial users.
The cooperation also extends beyond China. The companies said they will jointly explore overseas vehicle exports and evaluate new use cases, including autonomous delivery scenarios.
The Huajing S illustrates the increasingly modular nature of China’s EV supply chain. While SAIC-GM-Wuling leads vehicle development, its intelligent driving system is supplied by Huawei Technologies, while CATL provides the battery systems, reflecting a multi-vendor ecosystem approach among automakers balancing cost, speed, and technology specialization.
Neither company disclosed detailed rollout timelines for model transitions or specific station-level deployment plans. However, the agreement underscores accelerating alignment between automakers and battery suppliers as China’s EV market shifts toward standardized swapping infrastructure and faster charging architectures, particularly as companies seek scale efficiencies and international expansion.
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