Shanghai (ZXZC)- Chinese EV startup AIWAYS recently formed a strategic partnership with Blue Park Smart Energy, a BAIC BJEV-backed company engaging in battery swapping businesses, to jointly develop battery swappable vehicle models and battery swapping technologies.

Battery swappable AIWAYS U5; photo credit: AIWAYS

Under the agreement, the two companies will team up on the development of battery swappable vehicles, battery swapping technologies, the production and sale of facilities related to battery swapping stations, the operation of big data, as well as the brand promotion, so as to meet the energy supply demands for taxis and ride-hailing services.

Over the next three years, the duo plan to co-deploy at least 20,000 vehicles equipped with swappable battery pack across 17 cities and build over 200 battery swapping stations to form a network for scale battery swap service, according to AIWAYS.

The startup has to-date received 250 orders for the battery swappable version of the AIWAYS U5, which are set to be deployed in mobility service area. The vehicles might be sold to private users with the future improvement of battery swapping facility network.

Photo credit: AIWAYS

AIWAYS has already got the permit to operate ride-hailing service. It has launched the car-hailing service under its mobility service brand “WINWAYS” in Shangrao, Jiangxi province, and will further promote the service to the other cities in Jiangxi province, Hainan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang provinces, and Shanghai. Besides, the startup has also formed tie-ups with such mobility service platforms as eHi Car Services, Shanghai Jinjiang Auto Services Co.,Ltd., and Xiaoju Technology.