(Yicai Global) Jan. 12 -- Contemporary Amperex Technology, the world's largest battery manufacturer, is partnering with the Chinese producer of Nezha-branded electric vehicles to develop a smart chassis for cars to be sold as soon as in 2024.

Hozon Auto, also known as Nezha, signed a cooperation agreement with a Shanghai-based subsidiary of CATL, the Zhejiang province-based maker of Neta S electric sedans said in a statement posted on its WeChat yesterday.

The above-mentioned skateboard chassis integrates key new energy vehicle components, including the battery, as well as systems of electric drive, thermal management, and wiring control. A car with the emerging technology uses less energy, has a larger range, and bigger cabin space, Nezha said.

In recent months, CATL has been actively promoting research and development collaboration on smart chassis. For example, it invested in Shenzhen-headquartered startup Bihu New Energy in November to develop car models based on such a framework. Moreover, it penned a similar agreement with Vietnamese NEV startup VinFast in October.

Using the skateboard platform can reduce the cost and cycle time for manufacturers, Li Peng, founder of Shanghai-based skateboard platform startup U Power Technology, said to Yicai Global. It can cut the development cycle of vehicles to less than 12 months and reduce R&D spending to less than USD100 million, Li added.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi