Battery maker CATL and logistics group DHL have signed a fresh memorandum of understanding aimed at decarbonizing freight transport on Europe's roads, unveiled in Hanover, Germany, on September 14. The deal extends a global partnership the two formed in 2024 but narrows the focus to European road freight, spanning electric truck deployment, charging infrastructure and battery-swapping trials.
Rather than betting on a single technology, the partners intend to combine DHL's real-world logistics operations with CATL's battery, charging and swapping know-how to build operating models that can be replicated across different routes. DHL, which serves as CATL's strategic logistics provider, also plans to apply the solutions to transport within CATL's own European supply chain. Akin Li, executive president of CATL's overseas business, argued that freight electrification in Europe demands charging, energy storage, swapping and lifecycle services in addition to batteries and vehicles.
A number of third parties could join individual projects. On the infrastructure side, QUIBO Energy — a company strategically backed by CATL and Xiaomi and formerly known as SUNNIC — and European high-power charging specialist FleetBoost are named as potential participants; the two have already co-developed the FleetBooster 20 and 40 charging products built on CATL cells. Swapping could fall to Swaptopus, the CATL-Octopus Energy venture whose first UK demonstration stations are slated for 2027, with a target of more than 30 British stations by 2035.
The agreement landed alongside CATL's launch of its Tectrans II commercial-vehicle battery, whose heavy-truck version claims up to 1,000 km of range and supports both megawatt-class fast charging (80% in 25 minutes) and swap-based replenishment. No specific corridors, investment figures or launch dates were disclosed, and DHL reiterated its goal of net-zero logistics-related emissions by 2050.