CATL expands EV battery aftersales network across EMEA with digitalisation and data-driven services

At Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Europe 2026 in Bonn, Saba Azizi, head of service network and business development, aftersales EMEA at CATL, outlined the operational, regulatory and technological challenges of building a reliable, multi-country EV battery service ecosystem, and how digitalisation and collaboration are key to overcoming them.

Scaling EV aftersales networks across complex regulatory environments

As CATL expands its service footprint across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, one of the biggest hurdles is regulatory fragmentation. “Regulation for high-voltage systems for the EV, country by country, is different” Azizi explained. “They deal differently with the safety regulation, dangerous goods transportation, recycling, and we need to comply with all of these requirements for all the countries overseas that we want to conduct business in.”

This complexity requires OEMs, battery suppliers and logistics providers to adapt operations market-by-market—adding cost, time and compliance risk to aftersales logistics.

At the same time, the EV transition demands a new level of technical expertise. Unlike internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, battery systems require specialised diagnostics, handling and repair capabilities. “The EV industry is a sophisticated system, and a sophisticated system demands sophisticated people,” said Azizi. She added that they need to be "well trained, well equipped and well certified". 

Digitalisation drives consistency and performance

To maintain service quality across a growing network, CATL has invested heavily in digitalising its aftersales operations.

Azizi described a centralised system that integrates service partner capabilities and equipment, technician certification and training data, and operational performance metrics across global sites. This platform enables real-time tracking and benchmarking of service delivery, with KPIs including service response time, on-site arrival time, and repair and turnaround performance.

“We can track the performance of our service stations and this service will be assessed, their performance will be assessed bi-weekly on service delivery time, service response time, arrival on site, and all the most important KPIs to make sure they are in line with our requirements and to make the customer happy,” she said. Digitalisation is therefore not just a visibility tool, but a control tower for maintaining consistency across geographically dispersed service operations.

CATL's Saba Azizi will be speaking at the upcoming inaugural Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain United Kingdom event in June. Register now to secure your place. 

17-18 June 2026 | Mercedes Benz World, Weybridge, UK

Building partnerships to close capability gaps

Despite investments in infrastructure and technology, Azizi stressed that partnerships remain critical, especially at the local level.

CATL has launched flagship aftersales centres, including locations in the Middle East and Eindhoven, Netherlands, which integrate battery repair and maintenance, training facilities, spare parts distribution, and customer-facing showrooms.

However, Azizi emphasised that physical infrastructure alone is not enough. “The technology itself is not enough. You need to cooperate with the local service partners to know the local demand in the market,” she said.

From reactive to proactive: The role of big data in EV aftersales

Looking ahead, CATL is focusing on predictive, data-driven aftersales models. By analysing battery cell behaviour across production lines and in-field usage, the company is identifying patterns that enable early risk detection. “Through this knowledge we have been able to successfully categorise risk and generate early warnings, meaning we can react before a problem happens,” Azizi explained.

This shift from reactive to proactive service could significantly improve vehicle uptime, customer satisfaction and long-term service relationships. However, unlocking this potential depends on one critical factor: data sharing.

Collaboration and trust will define the next phase

Azizi concluded that the future of EV aftersales logistics will depend on deeper collaboration across the ecosystem, including OEMs, tier suppliers, logistics providers and service partners. Her vision is a shared data platform built on trust, enabling connected intelligence across the value chain. “This is the only way that we can get the most results out of this technology and literally transform aftersales from a reactive model to a proactive model, and this helps the customer have more uptime," she said.

As EV adoption accelerates, the ability to integrate digital systems, local partnerships and predictive analytics will define the next generation of aftersales networks.