Dongfeng Motor has been in active negotiations with CATL since the second quarter of this year to lock in the first-adoption rights for the third-generation Shenxing super-charging battery, 21st Century Business Herald reported on November 3, citing multiple independent sources.
The two parties plan to form a joint venture for deeper cooperation, giving Dongfeng a stronger voice in battery supply as well as priority access and supply guarantees for the new cell. The urgency stems from the generational advantage of the third-gen Shenxing battery in the ultra-fast-charging race: CATL says it reaches a full charge in just 6 minutes at room temperature, from 10% to 98% in 6 minutes 27 seconds, and from 10% to 80% in 3 minutes 44 seconds.
On October 29, Dongfeng and CATL signed a group-level strategic cooperation agreement focused on a "super-charging plus battery-swap" ecosystem, with Voyah, Mengshi and Yijng brands set to debut 10C-and-above ultra-fast-charging products. CATL's CTO said the landing window for the third-gen Shenxing is the fourth quarter of this year.
Source: 21st Century Business Herald
