Energy Insider: Rooftop Solar’s Record Surge in China, CATL Pushes Battery Swapping for Big Rigs

Published: May. 20, 2025 8:14 p.m. GMT+8

00:00

00:00/00:00

Listen to this article 1x

Workers install solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of a factory. Photo: Xinhua

In this week’s Caixin energy wrap, we analyze China’s biggest climate and energy news on policy, industry, projects and more:

• Rooftop solar installations surge

• CATL pushes battery swapping for electric heavy trucks

• Envision to build another U.K. battery factory

• Chinese EV-makes dominate home market

In focus: Rooftop solar installations set quarterly record

You've accessed an article available only to subscribers

VIEW OPTIONS

Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations.

Subscribe to both Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal — for the price of one.

Share this article

Open WeChat and scan the QR code

Digest Hub

Back

Explore the story in 30 seconds

China set a quarterly record with 36 GW of rooftop solar installations in Q1 2024, accounting for 60% of the nation’s total solar growth.
CATL plans to build 300 battery-swapping stations for electric heavy trucks by 2025, aiming for national coverage by 2030.
Chinese automakers captured 68.7% of the domestic passenger car market in early 2025, selling almost 6 million vehicles amid strong EV demand.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL): Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) is expanding its battery-swapping network for electric heavy-duty trucks in China. The company plans to build 300 battery-swapping stations in 2025, covering 13 core regions, and aims for a national network by 2030. CATL sees this ecosystem as a major future revenue source and expects rapid growth in electric heavy truck sales, predicting half will be electric by 2028.

Envision Group: Envision Group is a Shanghai-based green tech company. Its battery unit, AESC, has secured £1 billion ($1.34 billion) in the U.K. to build a second battery gigafactory in Sunderland, creating 1,000 jobs and expanding capacity to supply batteries for up to 100,000 EVs per year. Envision acquired AESC from Nissan in 2019 and is expanding its presence in Europe, including investments in Spain’s renewable hydrogen sector.

Envision Energy Co. Ltd.: Envision Energy Co. Ltd. is the wind turbine unit of the Shanghai-based Envision Group. Last year, it announced a $1 billion investment with partners in Spain to establish an industrial chain for renewable hydrogen, reflecting the company’s multipronged approach to expanding its presence in Europe and supporting various forms of clean energy.

AESC: AESC is the battery unit of Shanghai-based Envision Group. It secured £1 billion ($1.34 billion) in the U.K. to build its second battery plant in Sunderland, creating 1,000 jobs and producing batteries for up to 100,000 EVs a year. Envision acquired AESC from Nissan in 2019 and already operates a plant in Sunderland that began production in 2012.

Toyota Motor Corp.: Toyota Motor Corp. has adjusted its business strategy in China in response to the rise of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers. The company has implemented a new internal system that puts Chinese engineers in charge of research and development for certain models, aiming to better cater to the rapidly growing Chinese EV market.

Nissan Motor Ltd.: Nissan Motor Ltd., in partnership with Dongfeng Motor Group, launched the electric N7 sedan in April, marking their first model developed almost entirely by the Chinese team. This move highlights Nissan’s strategy to localize EV development in China, adapting to the rapid rise of domestic electric vehicle manufacturers and shifting demand in the world’s largest EV market.

Dongfeng Motor Group Co. Ltd.: Dongfeng Motor Group Co. Ltd. is mentioned as a joint venture partner with Nissan Motor Ltd. in China. Together, they launched the electric N7 sedan in April, which is notable for being the first model developed almost entirely by the joint venture’s Chinese team, reflecting a localization strategy in response to the rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) market in China.

AI generated, for reference only