The world’s biggest battery maker today, Chinese CATL, just announced it has finished testing its own EV skateboard platform to be used by third-party carmakers, achieving an amazingly low 10.5 kWh/100 km energy consumption. That’s good for a range of 1 000 km for EVs built on it. The first car to use CIIC, a Neta from Chinese Hozon Auto, is due in 2024.

The CIIC (CATL Integrated Intelligent Chassis) skateboard is far more than a battery pack. It integrates electric motors, CTC tech (cell-to-chassis batteries it’s known for), high-voltage and low-voltage systems, steering, braking systems, and chassis controllers into a low-cost single platform for EVs.

Developed with Hozon Auto

It was developed with Chinese Hozon Auto, which sells two compact SUVs, a mid-sized sedan, and a sports car under the Neto brand in China. Neta and CATL confirmed the first CIIC-powered model will be launched in Q3 2024.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) is a Chinese tech company specializing in manufacturing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and battery management systems (BMS).

It has several known Chinese and Western car brands under its clientele for its battery packs, like Geely, NIO, Tesla, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Hyundai, or Volkswagen, but doesn’t produce EVs itself.

300 km charging in five minutes

The CIIC skateboard is likewise meant for third-party EV builders rather than developing a complete car. CATL’s Chief Scientist Wu Kai announced at the end of November that the company had concluded real-live summer and winter testing of the CIIC skateboard, achieving a 10.5 kWh/km energy consumption. That’s quite amazing to average consumption figures of EVs of 15 to 20 kWh/100 km at least today.

A 100 kWh battery allowed an actual range of +1 000 km (CLTC) during testing and an efficiency of 75% overall, losing only 30% capacity at freezing temperatures of -7°C. Wu Kai said fast charging allows one to add 300 km of range in just five minutes.

Neto GT for Europe

The first EV on the market using the new skateboard will be a Neta from Hozon Auto, as announced by both parties. Though just active in Asian markets now, in 2024, Neta wants to enter 50 global markets, selling over 100 000 cars yearly overseas.

In Europe, it signed in October 2023 a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation with one of Europe’s largest banking groups, BNP Paribas. The latter owns Arval leasing, with more than 1,6 million vehicles at the end of June 2023. The first Neto that would hit European shores, is said to be the GT, a sleek AWD two-door 2+2 coupé with 340 kW (456 hp).