Summary
Dongfeng negotiates launch of CATL’s new 6-minute super-fast charging battery. The post Dongfeng eyes debut of CATL’s 6-minute full-charge Shenxing battery, report says appeared first on CarNewsChina.com .
In April this year, CATL launched its third-generation Shenxing super-fast charging battery, which charges faster than BYD’s Flash Charging. As the window for fourth-quarter product launches narrows, the race to secure the debut of the third-generation Shenxing super-fast charging battery has intensified.
According to an exclusive report by 21CBH, Dongfeng Motor has been actively negotiating with CATL since the second quarter of this year, aiming to lock in the “first-launch” rights for the battery technology.
A charging race
For CATL, the world’s leading battery manufacturer, the timing of the third-generation Shenxing battery’s mass production is critical to validating its “super-charging” narrative. Unveiled on April 21, the battery boasts industry-leading performance, capable of charging from 10% to 80% in 3 minutes and 44 seconds, and reaching a full charge in approximately 6 minutes under normal temperatures.
While competitors like BYD have already deployed their second-generation Blade Battery across various models – including entry-level vehicles priced around 70,000 yuan (10,400 USD) – CATL is under pressure to prove its technological superiority.
Dongfeng’s pursuit of the debut rights is a strategic move to gain leverage in battery supply, including guaranteed supply commitments and pricing power. This negotiation comes despite a broader industry trend of “de-CATL-ization,” where automakers have sought to diversify their battery suppliers. However, CATL remains dominant, holding a 43.8% market share in China as of the first nine months of 2026.
Deepening ties: beyond the battery
The relationship between Dongfeng and CATL reached a new milestone on October 29, when the two companies signed a group-level strategic cooperation agreement. The partnership focuses on building an integrated “super-charging and battery-swapping” energy ecosystem. Brands under the Dongfeng umbrella, including Voyah, M-hero, and Epicland, are slated to be the first to feature 10C or higher super-charging products developed jointly by the two firms.
CATL’s shift to energy networks
CATL is increasingly positioning itself as a provider of comprehensive energy solutions rather than just a battery manufacturer. By integrating its “Chocolate” battery-swapping stations with Shenxing super-charging piles, the company is building a massive, interconnected energy network.
To support this shift, CATL has recently reshuffled its management, with key executives moving to bridge the organisational gaps between passenger vehicle markets and commercial vehicle operations. This move is seen as a direct effort to accelerate the adoption of its battery-swapping technology.
As of now, CATL’s “swapping ecology” is expanding rapidly, with major partners including Dongfeng, Chery, BAIC, Changan, GAC, and Seres. It plans to expand its network to over 3,000 integrated charging and swapping stations by the end of the year.
Editor’s comment
According to what was said at the April launch event, CATL’s battery-swapping stations combine swapping and super-fast charging. In other words, they can both swap batteries and provide 10C ultra-fast charging. In this setup, the batteries at the swapping stations can also serve as energy storage for the ultra-fast charging points.
CATL has even floated the idea of “reverse battery swapping”: users could exchange their fully charged batteries at CATL’s stations and earn money by replenishing the stations’ energy supply. This could be seen as a physical form of V2G.
Liu Miao
Writer
Liu Miao covers NEVs and batteries at CNC to contribute to the energy transition, in spare time he loves driving his EV around.
