Drivers could soon avoid the hassle of plugging in their electric cars thanks to new technology that allows batteries to be swapped in just 100 seconds.
China-based battery giant CATL has developed a system called "Choco-Swap" that could transform the way we charge electric vehicles. Instead of waiting to charge up, drivers simply pull into a station, swap out their battery, and drive off — all in under two minutes.
This innovation could work alongside traditional home, workplace, and public charging, complementing the UK’s expanding charging network. The UK currently has around 80,000 public chargers, with plans to grow that to 300,000 by 2030. Labour has already taken steps to speed this up by cutting red tape, making it easier to install chargers without planning permission.
CATL’s Choco-Swap system supports two main battery options:
- A #20 pack with a range of 400km
- A #25 NMC pack offering up to 600km
The company plans to build 1,000 swap stations in China by the end of the year, expanding to Hong Kong and Macau. Longer term, CATL aims to create 10,000 stations with its partners — eventually reaching 30,000 nationwide.
Robin Zeng, CATL’s founder and CEO, believes battery swapping, home charging, and public charging will each account for about a third of the EV market.
CATL has already teamed up with major Chinese car brands — including FAW, Changan, BAIC, Chery, and GAC — and has launched 10 vehicle models that are compatible with the Choco-Swap system. So far, the technology has been rolled out in 16 cities, with a plan to reach 30 cities soon.
The project also has support from the Research Institute of Highway under the Chinese Ministry of Transport.
According to CATL, 30,000 swap stations would be enough to meet future demand, assuming swapping takes a 33% share of the EV market — roughly equivalent to the 100,000 petrol stations across China today.
Yang Jun, CEO of CATL’s battery swap division CAES, said:
“As the EV industry moves into new territory, we’re solving key challenges. The simpler the solution, the more value our partners can deliver to users through intelligent and personalised vehicles.”
Each Choco-Swap station is highly reliable, with a 99.99% success rate and a swap time of just 100 seconds.
If the 30,000 target is met, with each station holding 14 to 30 batteries, the network could store over 33.6 million kilowatt-hours of energy. When combined with the energy stored in 20 million EVs, the system could help balance electricity demand across the grid.
