(Yicai) Jan. 5 -- Contemporary Amperex Technology will provide cutting-edge batteries and services to auto manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Corp.’s high-end off-road vehicle, the M-Hero, for the next three years, the Chinese battery giant said yesterday.

CATL’s products and services will support the development and manufacturing of the M-Hero marque, the Ningde-based company said yesterday. The pair will also team up on the R&D, application and promotion of new batteries, it added.

The M-Hero marque was launched in 2022 and its first model, the 917, hit the market in August last year. Powered by a CATL ternary lithium-ion battery, it is available from CNY637,700 (USD89,769).

CATL and Wuhan-based Dongfeng first linked arms in 2016 and have since worked together on a variety of electric vehicles. Most recently, CATL teamed up with Dongfeng’s luxury EV brand Voyah last November on the R&D of fast-charging batteries and their application.

CATL retained its title as the world’s biggest battery maker in the first 10 months last year with shipments surging 51.1 percent from a year ago, seizing 36.9 percent market share, according to data from South Korean market research firm SNE Research.

Editor: Kim Taylor