From Ningde, CATL drives the future of electric transportation through battery innovation

NINGDE, 20 September 2026 (TATOLI) — From electric vehicles to ships and emerging aviation applications, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) continues to expand the deployment of advanced battery technology to shape the future of new-energy transportation.

Journalists from ASEAN member states witnessed these technological milestones firsthand during a visit to CATL headquarters in Ningde, Fujian Province, China, on Sunday, as part of the second day of the regional ASEAN Media Workshop programme.

During the tour, media delegates explored a diverse portfolio of battery technologies and products developed by CATL, examining their practical applications across multiple transportation sectors, with a primary focus on electric vehicles (EVs).

The delegation received briefings on the company’s newest innovations, engineered to extend driving ranges while significantly cutting down charging times. Several of CATL’s cutting-edge fast-charging systems can deliver hundreds of kilometers of additional range within just a few minutes of plug-in time.

Expanding beyond electric cars
CATL’s research and manufacturing footprint extends far beyond passenger cars. Headquartered in Ningde, the company is actively scaling its technologies to encompass electric marine vessels, heavy-duty commercial trucks, battery-swapping infrastructure, and the growing low-altitude aviation sector.

• Maritime Applications: More than 1,000 electric ships powered by CATL battery systems are currently operational worldwide. Furthermore, the company’s marine battery solutions have earned type approvals from five major international classification societies across China, the United States, Norway, France, and Italy. CATL has also rolled out an integrated zero-carbon shipping solution linking vessels, shore-side facilities, and cloud systems.
• Aviation and eVTOLs: In the aviation space, CATL is engineering high-performance batteries designed for electric aircraft and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. In 2025, a cargo-version battery developed for AutoFlight cleared the Manufacturing Conformity Review by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and secured AS9100D aviation quality system certification. That same year, the company contributed to the historic first public flight of what it notes is the world’s largest five-ton eVTOL.

Throughout the visit, ASEAN journalists also learned about CATL’s extensive partnerships with global automotive giants, including BMW and Honda, among other prominent EV manufacturers.

Global scale and market leadership
Founded as a premier new-energy technology enterprise, CATL specializes in the research, development, production, and distribution of power and energy storage batteries. The company has been publicly traded on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since 2018 and successfully listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited in May 2025.

CATL’s operational footprint includes 28 manufacturing bases built and operating globally; A service network spanning 88 countries and regions, backed by over 1,300 after-sales service stations; 28.65 million units in cumulative global power battery installations as of June 2026, with products sold across 74 countries and regions.

According to market data from SNE Research cited by the company, CATL commanded a 39.2% share of the global power battery market in 2025, marking its ninth consecutive year leading the world rankings from 2017 to 2025. This momentum continued into the following year, with CATL’s global market share climbing to 40.2% between January and May 2026, while its overseas market share reached 33.7%.

Innovation and sustainability at the core
Innovation remains a cornerstone of CATL’s corporate strategy. The company operates six research and development hubs located in Ningde, Liyang, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, and Munich supported by an elite R&D workforce of approximately 23,000 employees, which includes 745 PhD holders.

In 2025 alone, CATL poured 22.1 billion yuan into research and development, pushing its cumulative R&D investment past 100 billion yuan over the past decade. Beyond transportation batteries, the enterprise is actively pioneering intelligent energy storage, charging and testing stations, battery-swapping ecosystems, and electric smart unmanned mining solutions.

Environmental responsibility also anchors CATL’s long-term business strategy. The company announced that it successfully achieved carbon neutrality across its core operations in 2025 and aims to realize comprehensive carbon neutrality throughout its entire value chain by 2035.

Following the conclusion of their visit to CATL, the ASEAN media delegation continued their Ningde itinerary with a tour of the Large Yellow Croaker Industrial Base, gaining insights into the region’s thriving aquaculture sector.

The Ningde visit forms a key component of the broader ASEAN Media Workshop programme running across Fujian Province from September 19 to 23, 2026, following earlier engagements in Guangxi.

Journalist: Cidalia Fátima
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo