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Xiho
Oct 13 2026
1.Background: From Battery Supply to Joint Capacity Building
On October 10, CATL and Seres Group signed a long-term strategic cooperation deepening agreement in Chongqing. Both sides confirmed that the AITO series will continue to use CATL batteries across all models. Since the brand was launched, every AITO model has been equipped with CATL power batteries, with cumulative deliveries now exceeding 1.2 million units.
The key point of this agreement is not just adding purchase orders. It moves the partnership from model-level supply to three layers: joint capacity building, replenishment ecosystem, and global layout.
2.Factory Within a Factory: Battery Pack Line Inside the Vehicle Plant
What the model means
In June 2025, CATL put two CTP 2.0 high-end battery pack lines into operation inside the Seres Super Factory. This was the first time CATL used a “factory within a factory” model with an automaker, enabling local production and immediate supply of battery packs. The pack line sits inside the vehicle plant, so assembly no longer depends on long-distance transport.
Phase two capacity
The new agreement accelerates phase two construction:
- Phase two planned capacity: 10GWh—12GWh
- Combined phase one and phase two: over 20GWh
Using the common industry conversion, 10GWh—12GWh can support roughly 130,000 to 260,000 vehicles. Total capacity above 20GWh matches AITO’s next-stage delivery scale.
Why it matters for the supply chain
Under traditional sourcing, batteries may take one to two days to reach the vehicle plant. The factory-within-a-factory model reduces that distance to within-plant delivery. Response speed, inventory turnover, transport loss, and quality risk all improve. For buyers, this is also a more direct guarantee of stable lithium ion batteries supply.
3.From Power Batteries to Charging Ecosystem
The second part of the cooperation covers ultra-fast charging networks and battery services. The public wording is a “full lifecycle service system”, meaning cooperation extends from vehicle assembly to owner charging, battery health management, and after-sales support.
For overseas readers, the point is simple: the battery maker is moving from “selling cells” to “providing usable energy services”. This logic is close to energy storage solutions — whether in vehicles or stationary storage, the core requirement is stable, maintainable, traceable battery system performance.
4.Global Layout: Europe Is the Next Test
The agreement also mentions joint expansion into Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. AITO’s plan to enter Europe means battery compliance will matter: carbon footprint, battery passport, material traceability, and local supporting capacity will affect delivery cost.
CATL already has a cell plant in Debrecen, Hungary, but whether a separate line will be allocated for Seres is not yet disclosed. The safer wording is that both sides will continue to align on overseas battery supply coordination, with details to follow.
5.Why Storage Buyers Should Watch This
The factory-within-a-factory model is not only relevant to carmakers. It reflects several capabilities:
- consistent manufacturing of lithium ion batteries
- integrated cell-to-pack quality control
- near-site supply and shorter lead times
- traceable battery data, useful later for battery energy storage systems
For overseas buyers working on C&I storage, residential storage, or project integration, this kind of tier-one supply chain coordination often decides whether cell supply is stable, delivery is predictable, and after-sales support has real data behind it.
6.Closing View
1.2 million units is not the endpoint, but a validation period. CATL places its line inside Seres’ plant; Seres keeps battery supply next to final assembly. If this model continues to work, the signal to the industry is clear: the next stage of EV supply chain competition is not only about price, but about proximity, response speed, and data completeness.
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