Gasgoo Munich- On October 29, Dongfeng Motor and CATL signed a group-level strategic partnership agreement in Wuhan. The pact spans four key areas: supercharging and battery swapping, the recharging ecosystem, overseas markets, and brand marketing.
At the signing ceremony, Dongfeng Chairman Yang Qing noted that as the automotive and energy sectors accelerate their convergence during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, industry competition is shifting from individual products to entire ecosystems. That observation underscores the strategic intent behind Dongfeng's deepening alliance with CATL.
Reports later emerged that Dongfeng had been in active talks with CATL since the second quarter of this year, aiming to secure debut rights for the third-generation Shenxing supercharging battery. Those negotiations dragged on for nearly half a year before culminating in this group-level partnership. Gasgoo reached out to Dongfeng for comment, but as of now, the company has not responded.
Securing Debut Rights Is Essentially About Racing to Capture a Technological Edge
Why would Dongfeng spend six months negotiating for battery debut rights? The answer lies in the current competitive landscape of the new-energy vehicle market.
The third-generation Shenxing supercharging battery is CATL's latest offering, unveiled this past April. Official data indicates the battery delivers the industry's most powerful charging capability—equivalent to 10C and peaking at 15C. It can charge from 10% to 35% state-of-charge (SOC) in just one minute, reach 10% to 80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds, and hit 10% to 98% in 6 minutes and 27 seconds. Even in extreme cold of -30°C, charging performance remains stable.
Image Source: CATL
What does this speed mean in practice? It implies that while a driver stops at a highway service area to grab a coffee, the vehicle can recover nearly 80% of its charge. Ultra-fast charging is shifting from a marketing hook to a genuine consumer necessity.
Dongfeng's VOYAH brand hasn't made much of a splash in the new-energy market. Full-year cumulative deliveries for 2025 reached 150,000 units—an 87% year-on-year jump—yet the gap with rivals like Li Auto and NIO remains stark. With little advantage in product strength, intelligence, or dealer networks, ultra-fast charging technology has become one of the few differentiators Dongfeng can leverage.
Image Source: Dongfeng Motor
Industry insiders view Dongfeng's deep ties with CATL on the recharging front as a move to secure leverage over battery supply—including priority access to new cells, guaranteed volume, and pricing power. Put simply, Dongfeng isn't just buying batteries; it's positioning itself to receive products the moment battery technology iterates, using a technological edge to offset its competitive disadvantages.
Late last year, VOYAH inked a 10-year strategic cooperation agreement with CATL. A year later, that partnership has escalated from the brand level to the group level, expanding its scope from procuring batteries for individual models to co-building a full ecosystem.
From Transaction to Deep Integration: The Recharging Ecosystem Becomes a New Battleground
The partnership between Dongfeng and CATL goes beyond simply buying batteries.
According to an official release on Dongfeng's website, the collaboration spans four dimensions: supercharging and swapping batteries, the recharging ecosystem, overseas markets, and brand marketing. This signals a shift in their dynamic from a pure Buyer-Supplier relationship to a model of "deep integration" defined by joint development and shared benefits.
On the ecosystem front, CATL is accelerating the rollout of integrated supercharging and swapping stations. The battery maker plans to complete 4,000 such stations by the end of 2026, spanning nearly 190 cities and a "12 vertical, 11 horizontal" highway network. By the end of 2028, it aims to work with partners to build a total of over 100,000 shared recharging infrastructure points.
For Dongfeng, joining this ecosystem means its owners gain access to fast-charging services across CATL's network. Given Dongfeng's relatively weak recharging infrastructure, this support is significant.
Image Source: Dongfeng Motor
In battery swapping, the two will jointly develop a compatible architecture for both passenger and commercial vehicles. Reports indicate that brands like VOYAH and MHERO will participate in the co-development of the integrated supercharging and swapping ecosystem, while Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle and Chenglong are set to launch swappable models. This signals Dongfeng's intent to push into battery swapping across both its passenger and commercial businesses.
Overseas markets are another focal point. Dongfeng's website states the two parties will build after-sales networks and localize supply chains to boost efficiency abroad. As Dongfeng pushes ahead with plans to export VOYAH to Europe, CATL's overseas battery production capacity and service network offer crucial support for that global expansion.
This partnership reflects a profound shift in the industry landscape. Previously, the relationship between automakers and battery makers was a straightforward transaction: manufacturers ordered a set number of cells, and suppliers delivered them. Now, the two sides are moving toward deep integration—jointly developing technology, sharing recharging networks, and expanding into overseas markets together.
It also highlights how the recharging ecosystem is emerging as a new battleground for automakers. As range anxiety fades, charging speed and convenience are becoming the decisive factors for consumers. The automaker that delivers the superior recharging experience will seize the competitive advantage.
The Dongfeng-CATL alliance is a microcosm of this trend. Looking ahead, more automakers are likely to forge deep ties with battery manufacturers, using ecosystem collaboration to build defensive moats around their businesses.
