CATL opens first EV experience center showcasing nearly 100 models

CATL officially launches the CATL New Energy Plaza in Chengdu, Sichuan. This facility is jointly developed by CATL, the government of Qingbaijiang District in Chengdu, and automotive companies. The plaza serves as a centralized showcase for viewing new energy vehicles equipped with CATL-made batteries.

The plaza exhibits nearly 50 brands and 100 models, allowing consumers to explore dozens of EV models in one place. Brands and models showcased include notable CATL clients such as Nio’s ET5/ET5 Touring, ET7, ES6, ES8, Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, and Xiaomi’s SU7.

365-day car show

The new 13,800 square meter showroom marks the first time CATL has engaged directly with regular consumers. The center will not sell any cars, but instead function as a 365-day non-stop auto show.

The new space is purely an experience center for promoting EVs and enabling consumers to explore popular models all in one go. CATL has additionally assembled a team of experts ready to answer consumer questions about electric vehicles and batteries.  

The showroom will offer services such as viewing, selecting, testing, and learning about the entire lifecycle of electric vehicles. The center is like stepping into a large supermarket for EVs. Showroom features a range of vehicles from sedans, SUVs, MPVs, both from foreign and domestic brands, all of which are equipped with CATL batteries.

Directly reaching consumers

In addition to the new center, CATL has also officially launched its aftermarket service brand “Ningjia Service”, which has set up 112 professional service stations across China. The new service provides comprehensive professional services such as mobile rescue, battery maintenance, and vehicle health checks.  

In conjunction with the service program, CATL also launched web-based mini-program offering services such as charging network maps, car viewing, car usage, and more. The mini-program and service center open up a new one-stop service path for NEVs.

It’s been rumored CATL may adopt a similar strategy to Intel’s “Intel Inside” and Huawei’s “Huawei Inside” by branding models using CATL batteries as “CATL Inside”. CATL Chief Marketing Officer, Luo Jian, firmly rejected this idea as outside speculation and stated CATL does not intend to label NEVs with the CATL brand, unlike Intel’s early marketing strategy.

CATL has created the world’s first NEV brand pavilion, bringing dozens models from competing brands together. As the penetration rate of NEVs in China exceed 50%, the center will allow users to better and faster choose the right NEV in a highly competitive market.

CATL is the leading battery supplier of EVs both in China and the world with 46.5% and 37.5% market share, respectively. The company is involved with joint ventures with leading Chinese automakers like SAIC, FAW, GAC, Geely, and Changan. CATL’s extensive partnerships put the company in a unique position allowing them to consolidate all its clients under one roof.

Sources: MyDrivers, People’s Daily, Shanghai Securities Daily