CALB said it has previously been the preferred supplier for Xpeng's P7 and P5 sedans, is the main supplier for the G3i, and is now supplying batteries for the G9.

After Xpeng Motors officially launched the G9 SUV earlier this week, an executive said CATL was no longer the company's largest battery supplier, but didn't reveal who the new major supplier was. Now, the answer seems to be known.

CALB customized the battery product solution for the Xpeng G9, and the model's launch means the two companies' strategic partnership has deepened, the CATL rival said Thursday on its official WeChat account.

Previously, CALB had been the preferred supplier for the Xpeng P7 and P5 sedans, and the company also supplied the G3i, at one point supplying 83 percent of batteries for the model this year, the battery maker said.

The launch of the Xpeng G9 is a continuation of the partnership and recognition by customers of CALB's product and innovation capabilities, the company said.

That statement means CALB may have replaced CATL as Xpeng's primary supplier, as the electric vehicle maker diversifies its battery suppliers.

Xpeng was CATL's third-largest customer after Tesla and Nio in terms of battery installations in 2021, according to the Gaogong Industry Institute.

Xpeng made its flagship SUV G9 officially available on Wednesday, with the entire lineup built on the 800V high-voltage platform and divided into two versions, 3C and 4C, based on charging speed.

(Image credit: Xpeng)

C refers to the charging multiplier of the battery, 4C means that the battery can theoretically be fully charged in a quarter of an hour. Similarly, 3C means that the battery can be fully charged in one-third of an hour.

The 3C model of the Xpeng G9 has a peak charging power of up to 300 kW and can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in 20 minutes, while the 4C version has a peak charging power of up to 430 kW and can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in less than 15 minutes, according to the company.

Xpeng has diversified its battery suppliers, moving away from CATL as its primary supplier, said Brian Gu, the company's vice chairman and president, in an online group interview following the G9's official launch on Wednesday.

Xpeng uses two of CALB's 800V high-voltage platform-based cells in the G9, and they support high-rate fast charging, capable of charging from 10 percent to 80 percent in 20 minutes, CALB's article said.

(Image credit: CALB)

CALB's statement implies that it is supplying batteries for the 3C version of the Xpeng G9.

Xpeng chose to work with Sunwoda to develop a fast-charging battery for the G9 that would allow the model to reach 80 percent charge in 15 minutes, Gu said in the group interview.

That corroborates a report in local media outlet LatePost earlier this year, which said Xpeng used Sunwoda's 4C cell in the G9.

CALB is now China's third-largest power cell maker, with a 5.62 percent share of installed capacity in August, behind CATL's 46.79 percent and BYD's 21.91 percent, according to the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance.

CATL sued CALB earlier this year, accusing the latter of infringing on its patents.

XPeng officially launches G9: Starts at around $44,000, deliveries to start at end of October