Shanghai (ZXZC)- Dongfeng Motor Corporation and CATL agreed to step up their strategic collaboration on NEV development, which is expected to help promote the building and perfection of China's NEV industrial ecosystem, according to a post on Dongfeng's WeChat account.

Under the newly cemented partnership, two companies are expected to develop more technologies and products for the NEV ecosystem, gain a head start over rivals in NEV, battery recycle and intelligent data areas, and join forces in order to develop new technologies befitting the future trend.

The cooperation can date back to December 2016, when both parties inked a framework agreement to seek an in-depth teamwork on NEV batteries and power facilities, and jointly build a cooperative platform for NEV industry.

In July 2018, Dongfeng Amperex (Wuhan) Battery System Co.,Ltd., a 50/50 joint venture between the automaker and the battery manufacturer, was officially launched at Dongfeng NEV industrial park, and was put into operation at the same time. Involving a registered capital of 100 million yuan ($14,110,940), the joint venture focuses on the R&D, production and sale of NEV-related power battery system.

In the same year, the fast-charging long-life battery cell CATL designed for commercial-use vehicles was put into volume application in Dongfeng's model first. 

Through the partnership, CATL's batteries have so far been installed in a number of Dongfeng's self-owned NEV models, such as the Fengshen Yixuan EV, the Fengshen E70, the Venucia D60EV as well as the Venucia T60EV, according to Dongfeng.

As China's biggest EV battery maker, CATL has founded joint ventures with many mainstream local automakers, including SAIC Motor, Geely, FAW Group and GAC Group (photo source: Dongfeng Motor's WeChat account).