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CATL goes all-in on battery swapping

The world's largest maker of batteries for electric vehicles, CATL, said on Wednesday it will advance battery swapping in China in a big way from 2025. It has codeveloped 10 new EV models with automakers that use swappable batteries. The Chinese battery giant is seeking to lead a trend it says will replace a third of gasoline stations in China. The company aims to establish 1,000 battery swap stations across China, including Hong Kong and Macao, with a long-term objective of building 10,000 stations in collaboration with its partners. CATL CEO Zeng Yuqun stated that by 2030, battery swapping, home charging and public charging stations will each hold a significant share of the EV power supply market.

Tax deal aims to boost Indonesia's EV industry

Indonesia is taking bold steps to establish itself as a hub for electric vehicle production in Southeast Asia by offering attractive tax incentives to global car manufacturers. Starting in 2025, leading automakers — China's BYD and GAC Aion, along with France's Citroen — will benefit from exemptions on import taxes and a reduced luxury sales tax rate of 15 percent. Announced by the country's industry minister last week, the measures aim to lower manufacturing costs and drive up local EV production and sales. This strategic move highlights Indonesia's commitment to creating a competitive regulatory environment for global investors and aligns with the government's ambition to transform the country into a regional hub for battery-powered EVs.

Audi EV plant running at full speed in Jilin

Audi FAW NEV Co, a cooperation project between Germany's Audi and China's FAW, commenced mass production of all-electric models in Northeast China's Jilin province on Tuesday. As Audi's first production base solely for purely electric vehicles in China, it boasts a planned annual production capacity of more than 150,000 vehicles. The production base incorporates the entire value chain of automotive production and is equipped with a press shop, body shop, paint shop and vehicle assembly. "With the start of production at Audi FAW NEV, we are upholding our commitment to the Chinese market and taking a significant step forward in our electrification strategy," said Gernot Doellner, CEO of Audi.

Chery starts selling Arrizo 8 sedan in Israel

Chinese automaker Chery began selling a new model — the Arrizo 8 plug-in hybrid mid-size sedan — in Israel in mid-December, as announced by its official Israeli dealership, Freesbe. Chery entered the Israeli market in November 2022 and has since offered the gasoline-powered crossover models Tiggo 7 Pro, Tiggo 8 Pro and FX, also known as the Omada 5. According to data from the Israel Vehicle Importers Association, Chery ranked seventh in Israel's car sales chart for the first 11 months of 2024, with 12,214 units sold. Between January and November, the carmaker ranked fourth in Israel's electric car sales chart with 4,410 units sold, following BYD, Tesla and MG Motor.

VW partners with startup for software

German auto giant Volkswagen, facing tough competition from tech-savvy US and Chinese rivals, has partnered with a Californian electric vehicle maker to build software and save its EV strategy. Europe's biggest automaker, which is battling a fall in profits and a wave of labor strikes at home, sealed a partnership with Rivian in November. Together they plan to build the operating system for VW's battery-powered cars from 2026 onward — an endeavor which has until now sapped the German firm's finances. The tie-up between the auto giant and startup is a "high risk" move for Volkswagen, said the Center Automotive Research.

Motoring - Agencies