According to an announcement on August 23, the forthcoming 800V Neta S wagon will use the CATL skateboard chassis known as CIIC (CATL Integrated Intelligent Chassis). This, it’s claimed, is a world first for a production car, with the Neta S Wagon not only the first to use CATL’s skateboard chassis but also the first to use any skateboard chassis. The 800V version of the Neta S wagon using the CIIC system will be publicly unveiled at the end of August, possibly at the Chengdu Auto Show.
CATL’s CIIC system is an EV chassis with the battery and electric drivetrain, suspension, brakes, and other components Integrated in advance. It also includes cell-to-chassis (CTC) technology. Probably the biggest advantage of the skateboard system is that the upper and lower car bodies can be separated and decoupled, which means that they can be developed in parallel, thereby shortening development times.
Last year, CATL announced that its CIIC skateboard platform had completed testing in China and achieved a 1000 km range measured using the CLTC cycle with consumption of 10.5 kWh per 100 km. Furthermore, it managed to take on charge equivalent to a range of 300 km in 5 minutes. Battery pack efficiency is reportedly 75%. Sitting on top of the chassis was a B-class sedan believed to be from Neta.
Houzon Auto, the owners of the Neta brand, was the first partner to sign an agreement with CATL to use the skateboard chassis in January 2023. At the time, it was announced that the first car to use CIIC would be launched in Q3 2024.
It should be noted that CATL has signed partnerships for its CIIC skateboard with BAIC, and Vietnamese producer VinFast. There is also speculation that Huawei may have an agreement with CATL.
Editor’s note:
The announcement has created a degree of confusion regarding the Neta S wagon. It was understood that both the EV and EREV versions used Neta’s Shanhai 2.0 platform. Although it’s known that the CIIC system is only for an 800V architecture car, it is unclear how the CIIC skateboard and Shanhai 2.0 fit together, or if they even do. Previous announcements stated that the Shanhai 2.0 platform was an 800V system. The Neta S wagon has entered pre-sales, and hopefully, all will become clear by the time the car is launched. In May 2024 CATL and Neta entered into a ten-year comprehensive strategic partnership.
Source: Fast Technology, CATL
