Fujian should make sure that by 2025 the annual production capacity of its lithium batteries is over 500GWh, that the annual output value of the whole industry chain tops 600 billion yuan, and that the whole province has at least 1,000 battery swapping stations, according to Opinions on the Implementation of Accelerating High-Quality Development of the Lithium Battery and Related New Materials Industry, a document recently published by the Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

Ningde and Xiamen are the top two cities for fulfilling this ambition of the province. According to the document, Fujian encourages Ningde to build a world-class industrial area dedicated to Li-ion battery-related new materials, and boost the industry cluster, so as to have a better chance of being included in the national development project of clusters of strategically important emerging industries. In the case of Xiamen, the provincial government encourages the city to focus on the end products of the lithium battery, continue to expand production, and by doing so, drive the development of the upstream and downstream industries in clusters. Data show that Ningde has landed more than 80 industry chain projects, plus a production facility of SAIC Motor and more than 40 new energy vehicle industry chain projects in support of the facility. Its Li-ion battery production facilities, those in operation and under construction combined, have a total production capacity of 330GWh, making it the world's largest polymer lithium-ion battery producer.

As Fujian’s advantageous, characteristic industry, in recent years the lithium battery and related new materials industry have made tremendous progress. A number of high-end innovation platforms, which undertake key research projects aimed at conquering core technical challenges, including CATL’s National Engineering Research Center for Electrochemical Energy Storage, the 21C Innovation Laboratory, and the Clean Source Innovation Laboratory of Fuzhou University, have been set up one after another. Meanwhile, many new leading companies, including CATL, ATL, and CALB, have emerged, driving the evolution of upstream and downstream industry chains, e.g. positive and negative electrode materials, diaphragm, electrolyte, binder, conductive agents. These have also made Ningde an important powerhouse in the market of lithium batteries and related new materials in China.

To ensure the orderly advancement of the industries, Fujian has assembled a special coordination team and prepared the aforementioned “Implementation Opinions” which sets out six priorities for Fujian to work on. These priorities are centered around developing capability where the province is lacking in the high-end industry chain, extending the terminal sector, and fortifying the whole industry chain, with the aim of developing a sound ecosystem for the industry at a quicker pace and fostering advantageous industry clusters in line with the local conditions.

As far as battery swapping is concerned, Fujian is working to incorporate battery-swapping facilities and a battery-swapping network into its new infrastructure construction plan. It plans to make full use of existing EV charging stations, parking lots, wharves, above-water operation areas, berthing areas, etc. in building its EV charging station network. The province aims to provide pilot battery-swapping services and will make sure the construction work will be carried out in an orderly manner.