Beijing (Gasgoo)- According to official statements, CATL and NIO recently signed a comprehensive five-year strategic cooperation agreement in Hefei, Anhui. The partners will deepen collaboration across technology, ecosystem and market, working together to drive technology iteration in new-energy vehicles and innovate on business models.
Image source: CATL
On the technology front, the two will focus on long-life batteries and battery-swap compatibility, launching joint development programs across multiple technology pathways and prioritizing early rollout of new technologies to strengthen product competitiveness.
On ecosystem, they will jointly promote standards for battery swapping and share swap-network resources, deepening collaboration under business models such as Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) to build an open, shared battery-swap ecosystem.
On market, the companies will step up joint brand promotion at home and abroad to lift global influence and market share.
The deal marks a new phase of full-ecosystem collaboration between NIO and CATL. Under a structured, long-term framework, the two aim to navigate industry change together.
In fact, as key players in the NEV sector, CATL and NIO had already established a stable partnership.
Gasgoo notes that, back in 2023, on January 17, the two companies had already signed a five-year comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement, deepening and upgrading ties across new brands and projects, collaboration on technologies for new markets, supply–demand coordination, overseas expansion, and business models related to long-life batteries.
Then, in 2024, on March 14, the partners signed a framework agreement in Beijing, committing to advance R&D and innovation on long-life batteries for swap scenarios, pursue joint technology breakthroughs, and accelerate deployment of long-life battery solutions for swapping. CATL will design and develop longer-lived battery systems for NIO’s future models to extend battery lifespan and enhance overall vehicle value.
On March 17, 2025, the two sides signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Ningde, Fujian, setting plans to jointly build the world’s largest battery-swap network and push for unified industry technical standards. Building on that, they will pursue capital cooperation: CATL is advancing a strategic investment of up to CNY 2.5 billion in NIO Energy, further cementing the partnership. Through technology integration, and capital and commercial collaboration, the two aim for a 1+1>2 contribution to the industry.
