Neta to source vehicle chassis from CATL
Hozon Auto’s Chinese electric car brand Neta and battery manufacturer CATL have signed a cooperation agreement which will make Neta the first Chinese EV start-up to utilise CATL’s skateboard chassis, known as CIIC for short.
The CIIC was first mentioned in early November last year, but was still under development at CATL at the time – with no specific indication of when work on the e-car platform would be completed. The CIIC will include “battery packs, electric motors and other components”, according to earlier statements by CATL. Chinese media reported that it would include braking, steering and power electronic components – in other words, an almost ready-to-drive electric car platform.
The skateboard chassis was first revealed when CATL announced that it would supply the Vietnamese carmaker VinFast with a complete substructure for its electric cars in future. VinFast was announced as the first customer, but it is still open which carmaker will be supplied first – there is currently no confirmed information on this. Neta only writes in the announcement that it will be the first company among Chinese EV start-ups to offer a vehicle based on the CIIC.
“The cooperation will enable Neta Auto to develop more comfortable and improved smart vehicles faster and more economically,” says Peng Qingfeng, co-founder of Neta Auto.
Through CTC (Cell to Chassis) technology, the main components of the battery and other systems are integrated into the floor of the vehicle, eliminating the need for separate battery packs. This can reduce the initial cost to users and energy consumption, increase the range per charge and expand passenger space.
The strategic collaboration between Neta Auto and CATL dates back to 2021. Neta had introduced its third series model, the Neta S, to the Chinese market in 2022.
