On May 25, Changan Automobile delivered the first 1,000 units of its Oshan 520 electric sedan—equipped with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited’s (CATL) Choco-SEB swappable battery—to a taxi operator in Chongqing. Priced at 166,800 yuan (approximately $23,150), the vehicle is powered by a front-axle electric motor rated at 105 kW (141 hp) and offers up to 515 kilometers of range under China’s CLTC cycle. Thanks to CATL’s standardized Choco-SEB design, each battery swap can be completed in around 100 seconds.
Last year, CATL announced its Choco-SEB (Swapping Electric Block) initiative with the goal of establishing a nationwide network of 30,000 battery-swap stations and a uniform battery standard. The syndicate behind this effort includes several major Chinese automakers—Changan, GAC, FAW, SAIC, BAIC, SGMW—and EV specialist Nio. Chongqing has become the first city to deploy CATL’s newest swap stations, with 34 operational sites that can each store up to 30 battery packs; 16 additional stations are planned there by the end of 2025.
The Oshan 520 shares its body shell and platform with Changan’s Eado sedan but features a fully electric powertrain and CATL’s 25# LFP Choco-SEB module with a 56-kWh capacity. Changan reports receiving more than 15,000 orders for the Oshan 520 from corporate clients. Following the 520’s market launch, other models—including GAC’s Aion S and Hongqi’s E-QM5—are slated to adopt the Choco-SEB swap technology.
Source: CarNewsChina
