Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology Ltd. CAES a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese power battery giant CATL, officially launched on Tuesday its battery swap service brand dubbed EVOGO.

Modular Battery Swap Solution; photo credit: CATL

The newborn battery swap service brand is built on the basis of the Modular Battery Swap Solution, which was announced at the same time. The solution consists of three products, namely, the battery block, the fast battery swap station, and an app.

Choco-SEB; photo credit: CATL

According to CAES, the battery block is named “Choco-SEB swapping electric block)”, which is a mass-produced battery specially developed for EV battery sharing.

The new battery block has three advantages, said the company. First, it features high energy density with compact size. Supported by CATL's latest CTP technology, the Choco-SEB achieves a weight energy density of over 160Wh/kg and a volume energy density of more than 325Wh/L, enabling a single block to offer up to 200km of range. Besides, the Choco-SEB is compatible with most vehicle models riding on BEV platforms.

The second is flexible combination. Users can install one, two, or three blocks on their cars based on different range requirements.

Minimalist design is the third merit. Armed with wireless BMS technology, the Choco-SEB does not have any parts on its exterior except the high-voltage positive and negative terminals, resulting in significant improvement for the reliability of plugs.

EVOGO fast battery swap station; photo credit: CATL

The fast battery swap station boasts small floor space, quick circulation, high capacity and all-weather service, said CAES. Covering a small space comparable to three parking spaces, a standard station can house up to 48 Choco-SEBs and allows one-minute swap for a single battery pack.

The company said it offers diverse versions of station to adapt to climates of different regions.

CAES also provides a supporting app which allows connection among users, vehicles, stations and batteries, and offers relevant services as well.

Based on the aforesaid solution, EVOGO features three highlights, namely, high compatibility, need-based battery rental, and complementarity with charging services.

Regarding high compatibility, CATL said the Choco-SEB is designed to fit models ranging from A00-, B- and C-segment passenger cars to logistics vehicles, in a bid to realize universe compatibility. In addition, the EVOGO battery swap station can match all vehicle models equipped with the Choco-SEBs.

Need-based battery rental means customers are free to select the number of battery blocks. For instance, for a long-distance trip, a user can rent two or three block first and swap them with one charged block after returning to urban area.

EVOGO's battery swap service helps supply all-scenarios power refilling solutions alongside the existing household charging and fast charging methods, so as to realize freedom of refueling. This is what complementarity with charging services means.

At the launching ceremony, CATL claimed the modular battery swap version of the Bestune NAT is the first member of EVOGO family. More models to enjoy EVOGO service will be released in the near future.

CAES noted that it will select 10 cities in China first to offer the EVOGO service.