CATL and Changan Forge $745M Expansion to Fast-Track 1,500 km Solid-State and Sodium-Ion Batteries

CHONGQING — In a major development for the global electric vehicle sector, industry giant CATL and major automaker Changan Automobile have announced a significant expansion of their “Times Changan” joint venture. The partnership is scaling up its production footprint with an additional $745.6 million USD investment to build a new 700,000-square-meter facility between Chongqing and Sichuan, pushing total targeted manufacturing capacity to 75 GWh per year.

The strategic push focuses squarely on accelerating the commercial deployment of next-generation energy storage technologies, headlined by Changan’s high-density “Golden Bell” solid-state battery cells and CATL’s mass-market sodium-ion technology.

Key Highlights of the Expansion

• Massive Manufacturing Scale: The joint venture is adding 25 GWh of new annual capacity on top of an existing 50 GWh roadmap, creating a massive industrial base capable of supplying batteries for up to 1 million electric vehicles annually.
• Firm Commercial Timelines: Following on-road trials currently underway, commercial production for the advanced solid-state cells is locked in for 2027.
• Economic Impact: The new high-tech facility is projected to generate roughly $1.5 billion in annual economic output, supporting thousands of local engineering and manufacturing jobs.

The Solid-State Leap: 400 Wh/kg and 1,500 km Range

While solid-state batteries have long faced hurdles regarding longevity and cost scaling, the CATL-Changan roadmap lays out aggressive performance metrics intended to disrupt the market:

• Energy Density: Changan’s “Golden Bell” all-solid-state cells target an impressive 400 Wh/kg, providing roughly a third more energy density by weight than standard lithium-ion cells.
• Extended Range: The technology is engineered to unlock driving ranges exceeding 1,500 km (~930 miles) on a single charge.
• Exceptional Durability: The cells are rated for a lifespan exceeding 5,000 full charge cycles and designed to support ultra-fast 6C charging (enabling a 30% to 80% replenishment in just 9 minutes). Developers note that cell degradation will remain unnoticeable for at least 600,000 km (~370,000 miles).

Sodium-Ion Already on the Road

While solid-state development targets series production for 2027, the partnership’s parallel commercial track—sodium-ion technology—is already active.

The two companies have introduced mass-market passenger vehicles featuring CATL’s Naxtra sodium-ion cells (such as the Changan Nevo A06). Delivering an energy density of up to 175 Wh/kg, these batteries offer strong thermal stability, significant cost reductions by bypassing scarce raw materials, and robust low-temperature performance for everyday driving.

By pairing a world-leading cell manufacturer with an established volume automaker, the expanded Times Changan venture signals that next-generation battery architectures are rapidly shifting from lab-scale prototypes to industrialized mass production.