Shanghai (ZXZC)- United Auto Battery Co., Ltd. (UABC), a 51/49 joint venture between CATL and SAIC Motor, has reached an annual battery cell production capacity of 26GWh and has begun building the second phase of 16GWh cell manufacturing lines, which were expected for operation at the end of next year, SAIC Motor recently disclosed at the communication platform of Shanghai Stock Exchange.

UABC initially features a designed annual battery cell capacity of 36GWh, 18GWh of which had become operational, according a local report released in June 2021. The joint venture focuses on providing cells for SAIC Motor's new energy passenger vehicles. 

Photo credit: CATL

CATL announced in late Feb. 2021, UABC planned to plow no more than 10.5 billion yuan ($1.649 billion) in the expansion of power battery assembly lines in Liyang, Jiangsu province. Nevertheless, it didn't mention the concrete capacity the project would involve.

SAIC Motor and CATL has another joint venture, United Auto Battery System Co., Ltd., where the automaker assumes as the majority shareholder. This joint venture is dedicated to the development, sales, and production of power battery modules and battery systems for SAIC Motor.

United Auto Battery System had built two automated lines capable of outputting 200,000 sets of battery system in total per year, according to a report issued in June this year. The joint venture is expected to offer SAIC Motor 200,000 sets of power battery systems in 2022 and up to 600,000 sets in 2025.