Chinese OEM and tech alliance targets fleets with 'cutting edge' EVs and charging solutions

An alliance of Chinese manufacturers, with a combined model range of more than 500 vehicles, and technology companies offering innovations in electric power, is looking for UK fleet business.

The Yangtze River Delta Automotive Alliance unites the biggest companies in the country’s domestic market, including Geely, SAIC, Huawei, Chery, plus Lotus and Polestar.

Together with cars, vans and trucks, the organisation, formed in 2019 and now with a London office, also wants to bring to the UK technology such as autonomous EV charging robots, mobile, ‘drop off’ charging stations and battery swapping.

Yin Noe (pictured), the alliance’s joint head of UK and EU, told members of the Fleet200 Strategy Network this month: “Our vision is to promote and advance electric vehicles, battery technology, vehicle charging, hydrogen fuel vehicles and improve national grid networks.

“Through this collaboration, we seek to bring cutting-edge solutions to the UK and EU, enhancing our global footprint while providing British and European consumers with access to high-quality vehicles at compelling prices.”

In the Chinese market, one in three new cars sold are electric; more than 94 brands collectively offer in excess of 300 models priced from £4,000 to £70,000. China accounts for 57% of global EV production.

Speaking of the UK alliance, Noe said: “These are just of the companies in our alliance that have a significant interest in branching out into the UK. We’ve had general interest here, with companies giving us their fleet requirements.

“We work directly with the manufacturers and get wholesale prices for fleets.”

Noe also stressed vehicles sales would come with an aftersales solution – the alliance is “100% prioritising the aftersales solution”.

Some of the commercial vehicles and manufacturers launched in, or coming to, the UK, Noe highlighted in the Fleet News' meeting included:

1. SAIC Maxus

With a single charge range of 323 miles, its standout feature, Noe said, is its ‘intelligence onboard’ live data service that shows energy use, charge time, location, fault codes and driver behaviour

2. The state-owned Dongfeng, founded in 1969 producing cars, CVs and buses, with joint ventures with Honda, Nissan and Peugeot Citroen

3. Founded in 1996 and present in more than 100 companies, Foton introduced unmanned trucks in China seven years ago. It has a joint venture with Daimler to expand its medium and HGV truck business.

She also revealed the following details of potential EV charging solutions for UK fleets, already widely used in China.

EV charging robot

Booked by drivers using an app, an autonomous, low speed vehicle – or cube - from Sator Tech operates out of an on-site docking station to locate a vehicle and use a robotic arm to insert charging guns to give between 20% and 80% battery range in 15 minutes. These can be deployed in parking areas and areas of power shortages in peak hours.

In the case of the latter, a truck would bring the components to a site.

Charging robots are already in use in Shanghai shopping areas and major airports in China from next year.

Sator Tech has recently announced a partnership with BP Pulse to introduce the technology to the UK.

Battery swapping

Currently in use at 778 locations in 54 cities, a vehicle battery is exchanged in around five minutes in 100,000 vehicles in China.

A single battery block has a 105-mile range and up to three can be fitted to a vehicle. The CATL brand batteries will be fitted to 80% of Chinese EVs developed in the next five years.

The support system and batteries has the installation footprint of three parking spaces, and each installation has capacity for 48 batteries. Charging takes 1.5 hours.

Referring to the programme as ‘battery as a service’, Noe said use of one Choco-SEB battery in a swap service would cost around £50 per month via lease or subscription (including insurance), and it is compatible with cars and logistics vehicles including Class-AOO, Class-B and Class-C.

She stated there was a 25% reduction in overall vehicle and running costs via battery swapping.  

Videos

Sator Tech demonstration: automated charging service with the robot, Satorob

Charging solution for the roadside

Sator Power in service in China

Aulton battery swap