CATL claims 1,000-km range for new skateboard platform in testing
CATL chief scientist Wu Kai said the CIIC achieved a consumption of 10.5 kWh/100 km and a range of 1,000 kilometres – according to Chinese standards, which may be somewhat optimistic.
Still, Kai announced further testing results when speaking at an automotive industry gathering at Dishui Lake and said they had reached a breakthrough in CIIC development.
Winter testing happened in Heihe, northern China, and summer testing in Turpan. The test showed the efficiency of the battery pack at 75 per cent. At temperatures minus 7 degrees Celsius, the range decreased by 30 per cent. A range of 300 kilometres can be recharged within five minutes.
The skateboard chassis has other benefits and first hit the news only a year ago. CATL, at the time, promised a flat chassis integrating braking, steering and power electronics – in other words, an almost ready-to-drive electric car platform. It is also designed with flexibility in mind since the CIIC is adjustable in length and offers different battery positions, including a “removable body”.
The CIIC further fits in well with CATL’s Cell to Chassis (CTC) technology, which integrates main battery components into the vehicle floor, 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.
In today’s news, Chinese media said the chassis was tested in a compact saloon, presumably from customer, Neta. The companies agreed in January that Hozon Auto’s EV brand would become the first start-up to utilise CATL’s skateboard chassis in China. Neta wants to release the first CIIC model in autumn 2024.
In other news this week, Neta opened its first plant outside China in Thailand. The company claims it delivered more than 12,000 vehicles in Thailand, accounting for 20 per cent of the country’s electric car registrations. By 2024, the brand aims to “gain a foothold in more than 50 countries and territories” and achieve export sales of 100,000 vehicles.
When launching the skateboard chassis, CATL signed an MoU with Vinfast but has not mentioned the Vietnamese manufacturer in the recent news.
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