GCL-ET works with Baidu Apollo, LIVAN Auto, Skywell Auto on development, promotion of battery swappable models

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GCL Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (GCL-ET), a Chinese operator of green and mobile energy projects, announced earlier this week that it forged a strategic partnership with Baidu Apollo, LIVAN Auto, and Skywell Auto in late Nov., as part of efforts to build a zero-carbon transportation ecosystem.

Under the cooperation with Baidu Apollo, Baidu's open-source autonomous driving platform, the two parties will jointly develop a battery swappable version of the Apollo RT6 and relevant scenarios for applications, hammer out technical routes and schemes, as well as develop standard battery packs.

The collaboration with Baidu Apollo will be carried out to produce high-end mobility service products and target full-scenario driverless operations, leveraging Baidu Apollo's product and channel advantages in autonomous driving, intelligent vehicle, and smart transportation fields, and GCL-ET's merits in electric power resources, and power replenishment products, technologies and services, said GCL-ET.

In addition, GCL-ET will serve as the preferred supplier of battery leasing service and comprehensive energy replenishment service to Baidu's designated battery swappable electric vehicle (EV) models.

RT6; photo credit: Baidu Apollo

Unveiled in July 20, the Apollo RT6 is a production-ready fully autonomous vehicle (AV) model with a detachable steering wheel. As Baidu's 6th-generation AV, it is designed for complex urban environments and will be put into operation in China in 2023 on Apollo Go, Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing service.

By teaming up with LIVAN Auto, the joint venture between Geely Automobile and Lifan Technology, the duo plans to co-work on building 100 EV charging and battery swapping stations by the end of 2025 in eight provinces like Gansu and Liaoning, serving over 10,000 new energy vehicle (NEV) models. During the cooperation period, GCL-ET will act as the business-to-business dealer of LIVAN Auto's battery swappable models.

Under the agreement signed with Skywell Auto, the two parties will make joint efforts to hatch the technical routes and schemes of battery swapping stations and passenger vehicle models focusing on Skywell Auto EV6's battery swappable version, as well as develop and promote standard battery packs. Additionally, the duo will jointly promote the battery swappable EV6 using the "car-battery separation" model in seven provinces including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong.