Shanghai (ZXZC)- Chinese power battery maker CALB Co., Ltd. (“CALB”) has seen batteries roll off the production lines at its manufacturing base in Changfeng county, Hefei city, indicating the commencement of production for its Hefei project's first phase, the company announced on Oct. 8 via its WeChat account.

Photo credit: CALB

Code-named L221, the product lately coming off the line is a mid-nickel high-pressure NCM battery that targets the long range of over 600km. It adopts the all-tab laminated battery technology, which the company says features excellent volumetric energy density and outstanding fast charging performance.

In August 2021, CALB signed an investment agreement for the Hefei base's first phase, which features a designed annual production capacity of 50GWh power batteries and energy storage batteries. Ground-breaking for the first-phase project took place just three months later.

On November 19 last year, the battery maker struck another deal for a production capacity expansion project of its Hefei base. The second-phase project is also designed with a 50GWh annual production capacity, and will begin operation by the end of this year.

Upon completion of the first two phases, over 16 billion yuan ($2.248 billion) worth of production value is expected to be generated annually.

Photo credit: CALB

Notably, while the first phase starting production, CALB also entered into an agreement with local authority of Changfeng county to launch the third phase of the Hefei base with another yearly production capacity of 50GWh to be added.