Interview with CATL CEO Robin Zeng on global battery innovation

By Wolfgang Bernhart, Norbert Dressler and Felix Mogge

Questions for Robin Zeng, founder, chairman, and CEO of Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world's largest suppliers of batteries for electric vehicles. CATL, which listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2018, supplies batteries to automakers such as BMW, Volkswagen, and Geely. CATL is headquartered in Zeng's hometown of Ningde in Fujian province.

Norbert Dressler: CATL is opening up to foreign investors and is going public in Hong Kong. Why this step now?

Robin Zeng: CATL is always open to investments that support the global energy transition and transportation electrification. The issuance of H-shares is primarily aimed at creating an international financing platform to better support our global business development and facilitate the expansion of our global footprint. We have sufficient cash reserves and funding to support our overall operations. Establishing an international financing platform is a strategic move aligned with the practices of other globalized companies.

Norbert Dressler: How are you strategically positioning yourself in light of the current geopolitical tensions?

Robin Zeng: I am not in a position to comment on geopolitical tensions. We simply do business with partners who share our values. CATL’s goal is to make high-quality technology accessible worldwide, contributing to international sustainability objectives rather than engaging in any politically related matters. In every market where we operate, CATL strictly complies with local laws and regulations.

Norbert Dressler: How do you view the challenges but also potential competitive advantages of European/German OEMs? What strategy would you recommend to them?

Robin Zeng: Europe has long pioneering global efforts to fight climate change and promote e-mobility and energy transition , and it remains one of the world’s key hubs for the automotive industry and an important global vehicle consumption market.
I believe Europe are not lagging behind in the EV transition — rather, the speed of China’s progress in recent years may have come as a surprise to many. It’s understandable; the scale and pace of innovation in China has been extremely fast, even for us in the industry. However, European OEMs are still very strong players. They have deep technical expertise, strong brands, huge customer base globally, and the ability to adapt quickly. Once the initial shock wears off, I have no doubt that they will build very competitive models and bring their own strengths into the new era.
The future of electrification and energy transition depends on global collaboration, open innovation, and mutual respect. We should encourage more partnerships between European and Chinese companies — not less. Together, we can create a healthier, more sustainable, and more competitive global ecosystem.

Norbert Dressler: How do you view the expansion of Chinese OEMs into Europe?

Robin Zeng: Every industry faces competition, and healthy competition is the key to driving sustainable development. Whether in domestic or international markets, innovation should remain the core drive of a company’s competitiveness. Also, focusing on building strong ties with local communities is what truly delivers meaningful outcomes for customers, and advances the industry in a healthy and accelerated way. Enhancing the company’s image—particularly through active engagement and open dialogue with stakeholders across all sectors—is vital. Only with a long-term perspective, and a commitment to “in Europe, for Europe,” Chinese companies could better integrate into local EV industry chain and local community, provide products and solutions that can better meet the demand of the European market, and bring in the knowledge and develop the talent pool that Europe needs for EV transition.

Norbert Dressler: What are CATL's plans for building another manufacturing facility in Europe? Your company vice president Jian Pan mentioned in January at Davos that there are new joint venture projects in Europe. Is Germany a possible location, or is Germany rather not an option?

Robin Zeng: Europe is one of our key strategic focuses. CATL is building three plants in the region—located in Germany, Hungary, and Spain, the latter in joint venture with Stellantis. We will consider further expanding our manufacturing footprint in Europe in response to market and customer demand, supporting the energy transition with our advanced technologies and high-quality products.
Our factories feature reconfigurable and flexible production lines, allowing them to continuously adapt to evolving battery technologies. At the same time, we are strengthening our global presence through various initiatives, including sharing battery technology with partners such as Ford via the innovative LRS model, which stands for licensing, royalty and service.
In Germany and Hungary, where our factories are located, we have created thousands of jobs. We are actively investing in training and development programs for local employees to support the long-term growth of local industries.
At the same time, we are deeply committed to the communities of Erfurt. Through initiatives such as charitable donations, sports sponsorship, and educational partnerships with local institutions, we are contributing to community development. For Thuringia, CATT is one of the most important industrial investments in recent decades. The plant could be the initial spark for the emergence of a 'Battery Valley Thuringia,' as the first batch of CATL’s suppliers of quality control, machinery manufacturing, raw materials, and automation equipment have settled around the area.
We see ourselves not merely as a manufacturer, but as a long-term partner in the social and economic advancement of the regions in which we operate.

Norbert Dressler: CATL has focused on technological leadership rather than price leadership in recent years. Will the company maintain this strategy or adapt to market developments and potentially adopt a more price-aggressive approach?

Robin Zeng: At CATL, we’ve always believed that technology is the core driver of sustainable growth. It is always about how much value we can bring to our customers.
We believe, when we talk about value, we shouldn’t only look at the initial purchase price. What really matters is the cost per cycle — how much energy you can carry, how far you can drive, and how well the battery performs over its entire lifecycle. From that perspective, CATL delivers the highest value to our customers.
We don’t believe in competing just on price at the point of sale. What we do believe in is competing on total value over time — including energy efficiency, durability, safety, and reliability. For example, if a battery has a cycle life of 500 cycles at a cost of 1 yuan, whereas CATL battery achieves 5,000 cycles at 1.5 yuan. While the absolute price difference is only 0.5 yuan, this represents a tenfold increase in cycle life. From a cost-effective perspective, when evaluating cost per cycle, power capacity, and driving range, our battery products demonstrate the optimal cost-effectiveness over their entire lifecycle.
Our focus has been — and will continue to be — on leading through innovation, not through a race to the bottom on pricing. We should compete on technological innovation, on product quality, and most importantly, on safety. That’s the kind of progress that truly benefits the industry and the customer.
We maintain continuous innovation in four dimensions, namely the battery chemistry system, structure system, extreme manufacturing and business model.
That said, we are also very pragmatic. We are committed to delivering products with advanced performance, safety, longevity, and cost efficiency, enabled by deep R&D and continuous breakthroughs in materials and system design. And also, we closely follow market dynamics, customer expectations, and the competitive landscape. While we do not intend to compete solely on price, we are constantly working to improve our manufacturing efficiency and supply chain optimization, so that the benefits of our innovation can be shared more widely — including through more competitive cost structures.

Norbert Dressler: You are planning to establish the world's largest battery swap network in collaboration with Nio. What will you do to help the battery swap technology gain traction in Europe?

Robin Zeng: We will build 1,000 Choco-Swap stations by 2025. In the medium term, CATL will build 10,000 stations together with Sinopec, Nio and other partners. As the battery swap ecosystem expands, and through the joint efforts of the whole society, there will be 30,000 Choco-Swap stations in the future which could support for 20 million vehicles usage. We are actively exploring opportunities in markets outside Chinese mainland. Choco-Swap stations has already expanded into Hong Kong and Macau in 2025, allowing us to gain experience for future global expansion especially in Europe.

Norbert Dressler: What is the current utilization rate of CATL's manufacturing worldwide and in China? How does CATL plan to increase the utilization of its plants and thus stabilize margins?

Robin Zeng: In 2024, the production capacity of CATL was 676 GWh, and the capacity utilization rate was 76.3%. We believe that a utilization rate in the range of 75% to 95% is a healthy and sustainably level for our operations. At present our capacity utilization is already at a very high level, so we will be continuing to expand our capacity globally to meet growing demand across electric vehicles, energy storage, and new applications.
To further increase utilization and stabilize margins, our strategy is not just about running plants at full speed, but running them smartly and sustainably. By combining Intelligent manufacturing, extreme manufacturing and product standardization, we’re confident in improving utilization and maintaining healthy margins across cycles.
For example, with the extreme manufacturing, the performance of the battery cell defect rate should be improved from the PPM (parts per million) level to PPB (parts per billion), which help us raise output without significant cost increase.

Norbert Dressler: You want to introduce a unified battery standard. How far along are you on this path?

Robin Zeng: Standardization remains a core objective for us. Standardized battery systems offer enhanced flexibility across various automakers and vehicle models, creating significant profit potential while also contributing to a more efficient battery recycling process. The batteries we currently supply to our OEM customers are standardized primarily in terms of interface and form factor, while internal specifications—such as energy density and chemical composition—continue to evolve and improve.
CATL has developed two standardized Choco-Swap battery models, #20 and #25, analogous to #92 and #95 gasoline at gas stations. Our standard battery swap stations are compatible with vehicles featuring wheelbases ranging from 2.55 meters to 3.1 meters, and each station is equipped with 14 to 30 battery compartments. These stations deliver a 99.99% success rate for battery swap operations.
So far, CATL launched 20 Choco-Swap Models with 10 Automakers. Looking ahead, we plan to engage with more automotive partners to broaden the range of Choco-Swap-compatible vehicle models and further drive the adoption of unified battery standards.

Norbert Dressler: You showcased the sodium battery "Naxtra" at the Shanghai Auto Show. Will this battery type be a game changer for affordable and long-range electric cars, and when do you expect to achieve the targeted energy density of 200 Wh/kg?

Robin Zeng: Compare to lithium-ion batteries, Sodium-ion batteries boasts outstanding advantages in low-temperature performance and fast charging, and it can meet the demand of different energy storage application scenarios as well as e-mobility application scenarios especially in alpine regions. In the long run, the next-generation batteries like sodium-ion batteries are important directions for technological development. CATL has abundant technological reserves for these cutting-edge innovation and R&D directions.
Naxtra is the first mass-produced sodium-ion battery, boasting 175Wh/kg energy density (rivaling LFP batteries), a 500 km range, and over 10,000 cycles. It operates flawlessly from -40°C to +70°C, retaining 90% power at -40°C, and eliminates lithium dependency for greater sustainability. The Naxtra 24V Heavy-Duty Truck Battery cuts lifecycle costs by 61% versus lead-acid, enabling lead-free commercial vehicles.
To significantly increase the density of sodium-ion batteries, we have applied self-forming anode lithium-metal battery technologies (which means the sodium ions travel to the current collector on first charge and become the anode) in its research and development. We have already achieved 200Wh/kg in the lab, but the mass production depends on the demand of our customers and the development of the supply chain. In the long term, we believe sodium-ion batteries could account for up to 50% of the affordable EV segment.

Norbert Dressler: Additionally, CATL has introduced its dual-power battery "Freevoy." Which of the three battery types do you expect to generate the largest revenue boost for CATL?

Robin Zeng: The specific type of battery to be supplied shall be determined by the needs of our customers and the market.

Norbert Dressler: You mentioned that CATL is not just a battery component manufacturer, but is committed to becoming a zero-carbon technology company. Could you elaborate on what specific plans or initiatives CATL has in place to advance its zero-carbon strategy?

Robin Zeng: CATL is not just a battery supplier — we aim to become a zero-carbon technology company, and our strategy focuses on three key areas.
First, in zero-carbon transportation, we’re supporting the shift to electric mobility with advanced products and innovations like battery swapping. We recently launched a standardized swap system for heavy-duty trucks, aiming to cover 80% of China’s key freight routes by 2030. Our Choco-Swap Alliance is also driving adoption in the passenger EV market.
Second, in zero-carbon electricity, while continuing innovation in energy storage, we’re also investing in grid technologies such as power electronics, flexible regulation, and virtual power plants to help build a cleaner, more resilient energy system.
Third, for industrial decarbonization, we’re helping traditional sectors like steel and cement shifting to clean energy, while developing integrated solutions for zero-carbon parks and cities.
Across all three areas, our goal is clear: to use innovation to enable a more sustainable, zero-carbon future.

Norbert Dressler: What is CATL’s global energy circularity commitment? Can you provide more information about your partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation?

Robin Zeng: As a global leader of new energy innovative technologies, CATL aims to work out a long-term commitment to global energy circularity as part of its sustainability efforts. We partnered with Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a global leader in driving circular economy across various industries to facilitate the establishment of truly circular battery system and drive the circular economy of the wider energy transition.
To work out the commitment, CATL will collaborate with the Foundation to deepen understanding of the battery circular economy, run research to identify key challenges and opportunities, share best practices and develop solutions. And we will pilot innovative approaches, exploring the practical implementation of the battery circular economy in cities and regions.
This year, at London Climate Action Week, we announced our ambition towards battery circularity as well as the Four Principles to guide industry transformation: Rethink Systems, Redesign Products, Rethink Business Models and Recycle Materials. Adapted from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s circular economy framework, these principles are designed to guide transformation across the battery value chain — from mining and manufacturing to mobility and energy systems. They offer a starting point to create further alignment with key stakeholders to design collaborative action to accelerate the shift toward a more circular battery economy.

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