Ningde Times’s innovative Chocolate Swap battery exchange service has rapidly expanded, boasting over 2520 stations nationwide as of September 29th. This impressive network now covers 31 provinces and 200 cities across China, with nearly 20,000 new batteries deployed.
To celebrate, the company has launched a special “99-second Swap Across China” free battery exchange event for the National Day holiday. This initiative underscores CATL’s commitment to making EV charging more convenient and accessible.
Extensive Network Coverage
The Chocolate Swap service has achieved comprehensive coverage in first and second-tier cities, while over 80% of smaller cities are now equipped with stations. In more than a quarter of the cities where the service is available, CATL claims to have the highest station density in the industry. The network’s expansion strategy focuses on creating connected clusters in key urban centers and then systematically penetrating smaller cities and counties, much like a capillary network.
Users can easily locate the nearest station using the Chocolate Swap app. The process is designed for ultimate convenience: simply drive into the station, and in just 99 seconds, your vehicle’s battery is automatically swapped, all without the driver needing to exit the vehicle or endure long waits.
High-Speed Network Expansion
Beyond urban areas, CATL is also building out a crucial high-speed battery swap network. The company plans to establish 1,000 high-speed swap stations by 2026-2027, creating a major national highway network dubbed “11 vertical and 9 horizontal” arteries. This ambitious plan involves selecting 20 main national highways, aiming for a swap station pair approximately every 100 kilometers to ensure continuous travel.
Open and Standardized Platform
Chocolate Swap positions itself as an open and shared, standardized battery exchange platform for the entire industry. A key feature is its multi-brand and multi-model compatibility, allowing EV owners from different car manufacturers to utilize this unified national network. This interoperability is crucial for fostering wider adoption of electric vehicles.
Advanced Battery Management
Leveraging CATL’s sophisticated battery asset management system, every battery deployed in the swap stations is digitally managed throughout its entire lifecycle. The health status of each battery is continuously monitored and traceable. Utilizing digital twin intelligent monitoring technology, every battery provided to users undergoes a rigorous intelligent health check. This ensures that customers always receive a high-quality, reliable battery with excellent range, providing peace of mind for their journeys.
Free Trial During National Day
In conjunction with the network expansion, Chocolate Swap is offering a free battery exchange experience from September 30th to October 7th. This “99-second Swap Across China” promotion allows new users to experience the speed and convenience of the service firsthand during the busy holiday travel period.
