The world’s largest battery maker, CATL, has launched CTP-battery repairs in China through its Ning Service independent aftermarket brand, costing only a fraction – typically 10 to 20% – of a complete battery pack replacement.

Affordable battery repair can be a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) game-changer for electric cars, reducing depreciation, preventing catastrophic repair bills, and improving resale value. And even if the battery never fails, knowing repair is cheap removes the ‘ticking time bomb’ fear, pushing TCO advantage further in EV’s favor.

EV 20 to 25% cheaper than ICE

It makes EV ownership more economically secure and predictable, both for first-time and repeat owners. With affordable repairs, EVs could turn out to be 20-25% cheaper after eight years than ICE cars.

The primary issue with CTP (cell-to-pack) batteries in terms of repair is that their design—intended to improve energy density and reduce manufacturing costs—makes them difficult to service without replacing the entire pack.

CTP batteries skip the module stage, as cells are integrated directly into the pack structure. This eliminates unused space and improves energy density. However, if one cell or group of cells fails, you can’t simply ‘swap a module’; you must open and service the tightly packed cells, which is far more challenging.

This is precisely the problem CATL’s Ning Service aims to solve by creating specialized tooling, processes, and trained technicians to safely and cost-effectively open and service CTP packs.

Not for Europe

Many CTP packs of EV manufacturers are structural today, as they form part of the car’s chassis. Removing them may require partial disassembly of the vehicle’s frame. This is especially challenging in models like Tesla’s structural battery packs or BYD’s Blade batteries. That’s why a full replacement is a painfully costly option.

Ning Service is currently only active in China, and the repair opinion only counts for CATL batteries. It began as a battery manufacturer’s after-sales service arm in 2015, providing battery diagnostics, maintenance, refurbishment, and recycling support mainly for CATL-powered vehicles in China.

Over the years, it expanded into an aftermarket network with more than 1,100 service centers in 75 countries (including 800+ in China). Currently, Ning Service is not available in Europe. While CATL is actively considering battery swapping and recycling for Europe, there’s no public roadmap yet for implementing CTP repair services. Unfortunately.

Used EVs are more attractive

For EV owners facing battery failure post-warranty, or after an accident, the price tag of a complete replacement, which is often more than half the car’s value, is a significant deterrent. CATL’s repair service slashes that to a manageable few thousand euros, making EV ownership and resale of a used electric car much more feasible.

The repair service for CTP batteries reduces replacement costs, which are typically around 100,000 yuan or €11,900 in China. These costs are cut by 80-90%, bringing them down to around €1,190 to €2,380.

Although EV batteries are proving to last far longer than initially assessed, sky-high replacement costs, often more than half the car’s value, have hampered the second-hand EV market from the beginning. With affordable repairs, EVs become more attractive to used-car buyers, reducing depreciation and extending the overall lifespan of vehicles.

Lower TCO after eight years

A higher resale value directly reduces depreciation, which is one of the most significant factors affecting Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for any car, EV, or ICE. Even today, some EVs are already cheaper in TCO and even compared to the initial purchase price than a comparable ICE car.

We asked ChatGTP to calculate a Belgium-specific 8-year TCO, using the MG4 and VW Golf 1.5 TSI (116 hp) example with 15,000 km/year. With affordable repair, the MG4 is about €18,300 cheaper than the Golf over eight years. Without affordable repairs, the MG4 remains approximately €4,200 cheaper, primarily due to its lower BE list price and lower running costs.