CATL partners with Lanzhou city to build zero-carbon model city in northwest China

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On May 29, CATL signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Lanzhou Municipal Government to deepen collaboration across three key areas: the development of the new energy vehicle battery aftermarket, the electrification upgrade of regional transportation, and the creation of a zero-carbon urban ecosystem. The initiative aims to position Lanzhou as a model city for zero-carbon transformation in northwest China.

Photo credit: CATL

As a key hub along the Belt and Road Initiative, Lanzhou city serves not only as a major transportation gateway in the region but also boasts abundant wind and solar energy resources and an emerging lithium battery industry. Leveraging CATL's global battery data and technological expertise, the two parties will focus on building a regional technology center in Lanzhou's high-tech zone. This center will provide aftermarket services such as battery safety testing and second-life applications, establishing a hub that supports the broader northwest China and Central Asia with R&D and talent development for the new energy vehicle sector along the Belt and Road corridor.

To accelerate the electrification of transportation, CATL will work to enhance Lanzhou's charging and battery swap infrastructure, supporting the transition of public transit, heavy-duty trucks, buses, and two-wheelers to electric power. The two sides will also explore innovative applications such as the "Electric Yellow River" tourism cruise project.

The partnership also envisions the creation of a zero-carbon urban ecosystem by integrating photovoltaic, energy storage, and smart energy management technologies. Planned initiatives include the development of zero-carbon industrial parks, virtual power plants, and city-level integrated demonstration stations featuring solar power, energy storage, charging/swapping, and battery diagnostics. In addition, the two parties will explore policies for recycling retired batteries, jointly build a battery recovery system and collaborative processing base, and establish a closed-loop value chain covering the full battery lifecycle.