CATL, FAW Hongqi break ground on Hong Kong's first Choco-Swap station

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On January 13, CATL, FAW Hongqi, and Shenzhen Longsheng New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LS energy) jointly conducted the groundbreaking ceremony of Hong Kong's first Choco-Swap station for passenger vehicles, marking a significant milestone in the city's development of new energy vehicle infrastructure.

Photo credit: CATL

Under the cooperation, Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology Limited (CAES), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CATL, introduced its Choco-Swap solution, creating a new ecosystem for new energy vehicle refueling. Besides, the company leveraged CATL's expertise in battery asset management to promote battery cyclic utilization, contributing to sustainable development. The implementation of this technology provides a crucial solution to address the challenges such as limited land availability and insufficient charging infrastructure in Hong Kong.

The Hongqi E-QM5, one of the initial models available for CATL's Choco-Swap solution, will be the first to be launched in the Hong Kong market. LS energy will be responsible for handling land resources, infrastructure modifications, and vehicle sales.

The tripartite collaboration aims to establish Choco-Swap stations across Hong Kong and deploy battery electric taxis based on the Hongqi E-QM5 model. In the long-term plans, the three parties plan to create a new energy mobility network that covers Hong Kong and extends to ASEAN regions.

This initiative will not only enhance Hong Kong's green transportation infrastructure, but also create new opportunities for international business expansion of CATL's Choco-Swap ecosystem capitalizing on the city's unique connectivity to global markets.

At the Choco-Swap ecosystem conference held in December 2024, CATL released a clear timetable for the construction of its battery swap network: by 2025, it will build 1,000 Choco-Swap stations and will expand into Hong Kong and Macao. In its mid-term plan, CATL will build 10,000 stations together with its partners. As the battery swap ecosystem expands, and through the joint efforts of the whole society, there will be 30,000 Choco-Swap stations built eventually.