It’s called Bedrock and promises to carry batteries that can provide up to 1,000 km of autonomy. Secure and ultra-efficient, this platform will debut with cars from the Chinese brand Avatr.
CATL, the world’s leading producer of batteries for electric cars, continues to establish itself as a key player in the field of electric mobility in China, but also throughout the world. To stay ahead in a rapidly expanding market, the Chinese company has decided to diversify its activities.
This strategy is based on its economic and technological assets, which allow it to aim for progress in other sectors, particularly that of platforms for electric vehicles.
Simpler, faster and cheaper
CATL has just unveiled Bedrock, a platform exclusively dedicated to electric vehicles. Presented as a major advance, this platform stands out for its unique characteristics. According to Robin Zeng, founder and CEO of CATL, “Bedrock focuses on safety and efficiency”.
Since 2020, CATL has collaborated with various automobile manufacturers, such as BAIC and the Vietnamese Vinfast, to design electric vehicles based on platforms integrating their batteries. Bedrock marks a new stage, meeting higher safety standards and undoubtedly very close to European standards in this area.
Bedrock also promotes the standardization of components, allowing development costs to be significantly reduced. An electric vehicle could thus be designed with a budget of around 10 million euros, an “accessible” investment even for start-ups and niche manufacturers. In addition, design times could be reduced to between 12 and 18 months, compared to 36 months, or even much more, traditionally.
Record autonomy and charging speeds?
The Bedrock platform is modular and allows the use of different battery packs and electric motor configurations. With this platform, some vehicles could reach up to 1,000 km of autonomy as well as some of the fastest charging speeds available today. No precise figures have yet been revealed at this level.
The first cars equipped with the Bedrock platform will be produced by Avatr, a company jointly established by CATL, Changhan Auto and Huawei. Furthermore, CATL is exploring partnerships, notably with Porsche for the development of a luxury electric vehicle. This project would be supported by investors from the Middle East wishing to launch a premium brand of electric vehicles.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
