Robin Zeng (Zeng Yuqun) and management spin out the automotive battery division of ATL (Amperex Technology Ltd, the world's #1 polymer Li-ion cell maker for Apple iPhone) into independent entity Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) in Ningde, Fujian. ATL was founded by Zeng in 1999 and acquired by Japan's TDK in 2005 — the spin-off resolves Chinese-domestic-supply policy issues that prevented foreign-owned ATL from supplying Chinese OEMs.

Won first major OEM contract supplying NCM cells to BMW Brilliance for the Zinoro 1E EV — BMW's stringent technical specifications (cycle life, safety, low-temperature performance) become the benchmark for CATL's later premium-OEM positioning. Contract value undisclosed but transforms CATL from startup into automotive-grade supplier in <12 months.

Overtook BYD to become China's largest EV battery maker by GWh installed — 11.84 GWh full-year 2017 deployments, eclipsing BYD's 7.2 GWh. Same year CATL surpasses Panasonic on a quarterly basis to claim global #1 position. Reflects CATL's open-sales model (selling to all OEMs) versus BYD's then-captive Chinese-only PHEV programs.

IPO on Shenzhen ChiNext board — raised RMB 5.46B (~$850M) at a market cap of ~$12B. Heavily oversubscribed by Chinese mutual funds; CATL becomes ChiNext's largest stock by float. Stock 6x'd by year-end 2020, 28x by 2021 peak — among the most successful battery IPOs ever.

Announced first European factory in Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany — initial €240M commitment for 14 GWh/yr expanding to 24 GWh, anchored by BMW iX3 / iX cell orders. CATL's first wholly-owned plant outside China; commissioning slips to late 2022 amid permitting and labour-availability headwinds.

Signed long-term cell supply agreement with Tesla for Model 3 produced in Shanghai Gigafactory — initial LFP cells for Standard Range trims, NCM for Long Range. Tesla's first non-Panasonic supplier on a vehicle program; opens the door for global LFP adoption in passenger BEVs from 2021 onward.

Surpassed Panasonic to become world's largest EV battery supplier by deployed GWh — 26 GWh CY2020 versus Panasonic's 24.6 GWh. CATL never relinquishes the #1 spot through mid-2026; lead widens to ~30 percentage points by 2024 (37% vs Panasonic 7%).

Unveiled cell-to-pack (CTP) 1.0 technology, eliminating module-level enclosures in the pack architecture — 15-20% pack-level energy-density gain, 40% fewer parts. CTP becomes the dominant pack architecture template adopted later by BYD Blade, LFP packs at Tesla, and most Chinese OEMs.

Unveiled first-generation sodium-ion battery with 160 Wh/kg energy density and -20°C cold-weather performance — positioned as cost-down LFP alternative for entry-level EVs and ESS. Initial commercial launch with Chery iCar slipped to 2024; by 2026 sodium-ion remains a niche <5% of CATL volume.

Launched Qilin (CTP 3.0) battery — 255 Wh/kg cell-level energy density, 1,000 km CLTC range targets in ~150 kWh pack format. Architectural innovation: integrates BMS, thermal, side-mount cooling into the cell-to-pack envelope. First customer Zeekr 009 (Sep 2022); Li Auto, Aito, Smart and Avatr follow.

Ford BlueOval Battery Park Michigan announced — Ford-owned plant with CATL technology license under Licensing-and-Royalty (LRS) model, $3.5B capex, 35 GWh/yr LFP cells. Politically controversial structure (Ford 100% owner / CATL technology partner) survives initial congressional scrutiny but downsized to 20 GWh in Nov 2023.

Announced 500 Wh/kg "condensed-matter" battery aimed at electric aviation — semi-solid-state architecture with proprietary biomimetic electrolyte. COMAC partnership for civil aviation testing. Limited automotive applicability (cost, safety) but signals CATL's chemistry-roadmap depth.

Launched Shenxing fast-charging LFP cell — 400 km range from a 10-minute charge (4C peak charge rate), industry-first LFP at commercial scale. First customer Avatr 12 (launched Q4 2023); subsequently adopted by Zeekr, Aito, NIO and 12+ programs in 2024.

Held ~37% global EV battery market share (FY2023) — 263 GWh installed, peak lead over LGES (13.6%) and BYD (15.8%). Combined CATL+BYD share crosses 50% globally for first time, validating Chinese-cell-maker structural dominance.

Tesla licensed CATL's LFP technology for U.S. battery production at Nevada Megafactory — license-and-royalty (LRS) structure mirrors Ford-CATL Marshall MI deal. Tesla pays ~$25-30/kWh license fee, manufactures cells at Nevada under CATL technology transfer. First Tesla-CATL commercial relationship outside cell purchase.

Unveiled Shenxing Plus — first LFP cell to achieve 1,000 km CLTC range and 4C peak fast charge (10 minutes for 600 km). Cell-level energy density ~205 Wh/kg, pack-level ~165 Wh/kg. Erodes the historical NMC-energy-density premium argument over LFP.

Launched Bedrock chassis — cell-to-chassis (CTC) skateboard platform for OEM partners. Eliminates pack as discrete unit: cells integrated directly into chassis structural members. Reduces vehicle BOM ~10%, increases interior space, improves stiffness. First customers Avatr 06 (2025) and Hongqi.

Secondary listing on Hong Kong Stock Exchange under ticker 3750.HK — raised ~HK$36B (~$4.6B), the largest HK IPO of 2025 and largest globally that year. Stock priced at HK$263 vs Shenzhen-A floor of RMB 250; opens up CATL to international institutional capital base post-MSCI inclusion.

Spain Zaragoza JV plant with Stellantis announced construction start — €4.1B 50/50 JV, 50 GWh/yr LFP cells. Anchors Stellantis Opel/Peugeot/Citroen mass-market EV programs. CATL's third European plant after Erfurt (DE) and Debrecen (HU); industrial answer to EU Battery Regulation localisation requirements.

FY2025 results: 464.7 GWh battery installations, 39.2% global share (per SNE Research), revenue RMB 423B (+8.5% YoY). Net income margin recovers to 13.2% from 12.5% in 2024 amid lithium-cost stabilisation. Validates CATL's structural lead despite domestic competition intensifying.