China transports electric vehicle power batteries by railway for first time

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- At 11:15 a.m. on November 19, a freight train loaded with containers of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, produced by Sichuan Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited ("Sichuan CATL"), departed from Yibin Port in Sichuan, bound for Shanghai, according to a post on "Yibin Release", an official WeChat account of Yibin city's government. This marks the first-ever use of railway transport for electric vehicle power batteries in China, with simultaneous departures from Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou.

Photo credit: Yibin Release

The trial shipment from Yibin involved a single standard container weighing approximately 24 tonnes. According to Luo Liping, Deputy Director of the Chengdu Railway Logistics Center, railway transport offers significant advantages over traditional road-based methods, including greater scalability, enhanced safety, convenience, and environmental sustainability.

Currently, nearly 90% of lithium battery shipments within China rely on road transport, while exports are predominantly carried out via waterways, according to the 2023 Power Battery Transport Industry Development Report. This pioneering use of rail for power battery transport represents a breakthrough, signaling the realization of multimodal logistics solutions for the industry.

Liu Jie, who is in charge of CATL's supply chains and logistics, highlighted the benefits of this development. "Railway transport enables a continuous supply of power batteries to more cities across China and internationally. By stabilizing our supply chain, we can develop more efficient transportation strategies, supported by the expanding railway network, to better serve our customers."

Yibin city, one of the departure locations, is a pivotal gateway for Sichuan's southern trade initiatives. Power batteries are a key export product for the city, with over 13,000 battery containers shipped annually. In 2023, Yibin achieved a total power battery sales volume of 96 GWh, accounting for 15% of the country's total volume. The sector's import and export value reached 8.548 billion yuan in Yibin, contributing 23.5% to the city's total foreign trade.

Yibin's Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor, Liao Wenbin, noted that the trial railway operation lays the foundation for integrating domestic power battery transport with China-Europe freight trains. This connectivity will enable Yibin-manufactured batteries to reach Central Asia and Europe more quickly and cost-effectively, further boosting the global presence of "Made in Yibin" products.