NETA Auto said on ai 18+Sunday that it started sales of the hatchback version of its Neta S mid-size sedan and will begin mass production of a variant featuring a skateboard chassis sourced from Chinese battery giant CATL in the fourth quarter of this year. This will make the affordable EV the world’s first production car model with an architecture that integrates battery cells, transmissions, radiators, and other components into a flat-floored wheeled chassis like a skateboard, the Chinese startup said in an announcement.
The skateboard chassis integrates the so-called CTP (Cell-to-Pack) system, which combines battery cells into packs without modules, significantly reducing the components of the whole pack and lowering the manufacturing cost of EVs, according to CATL, an early investor in NETA. The extended-range hybrid versions of the NETA S offer a driving range of 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) on a full tank and full charge, while the all-electric versions can travel as far as 640 km. CATL’s fast-charging battery, dubbed Shenxing, also gives the hatchback an additional range of 210 km after 10 minutes of charging, with a price range between RMB 159,900 and RMB 209,900 ($22,466-$29,491). [TechNode reporting, NETA announcement, in Chinese]