Aiva Brand Unveils Battery-Swap Roadmap; CATL's 'Chocolate' Solution to Power ME7

Following AITO, Chongqing's Seres ecosystem welcomes a new brand — Aiva. According to exclusive sources cited by LatePost, Aiva — a newly launched intelligent electric vehicle brand incubated by Chongqing Saidu Technology (formerly Chongqing Landi Technology) — is expected to adopt CATL's battery-swap solution. The two parties are in deep negotiations, with technical implementation pathways still under active planning.

First Production Model ME7 to Launch Globally This Year, Targeting Mainstream Market

Aiva officially launched in early June this year, championing the product philosophy of "AI-Defined Vehicles: AI First, Then Car." Its debut production model, the Aiva ME7, is scheduled for global premiere before end-2026; pre-ordering is tentatively slated for early 2027, with simultaneous launch in China and overseas export markets. To support channel development, Aiva has begun constructing its first flagship brand experience store at the Chongqing Orbit Mall.

In terms of positioning, Aiva's entire lineup targets mainstream consumers, with official confirmation that all models will carry a price tag above RMB 200,000 (approx. USD 29,400). Judging by vehicle segment, the ME7 is highly likely to feature CATL's latest 26# 'Chocolate' swappable battery — developed on an 800V high-voltage platform, with an initial capacity of 75 kWh, designed for B- and C-segment vehicles. This marks a significant capacity expansion over the previous version, which covered only A0–B segments.

Tripartite Collaboration: Seres for Vehicle Manufacturing + CATL for Energy + Tech Partners for Intelligence

Aiva operates under a clear equity structure rooted in 'state-led, industry-coordinated' governance: Chongqing's local state-owned capital holds the largest stake, Seres is the second-largest shareholder, and CATL participates via an investment platform. Under this framework, Seres fully contributes vehicle manufacturing, supply chain management, quality systems, and engineering capabilities — the ME7 will roll off Seres's Phoenix Plant; CATL supplies battery technology, safety validation, and swap-network support. As of June 30, 2026, CATL has built 2,000 'Chocolate' passenger-vehicle swap stations across 31 provinces and 180 cities nationwide.

Leveraging this mature public swap network, Aiva can significantly reduce upfront investment in building its own energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, the battery leasing model enables vehicle-battery separation, easing pricing pressure from premium configurations — granting Aiva greater pricing flexibility within the RMB 200,000+ segment.

For intelligence, Aiva collaborates with Volcengine (ByteDance's subsidiary) to co-develop the smart cockpit, powered by the "Doubao" large language model, following a 'joint definition, joint design' approach; advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are provided by QCraft.