On Tuesday, the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also called Beijing E-town, welcomed Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd, China's largest automotive lithium-ion battery maker, into its fold. The company began construction on its first battery plant in North China, adding another piece to its automobile industry chain.

The plant is scheduled to begin production in 2026 after two construction phases. Once completed, it will cover an area of about 260,000 square meters.

Beijing is a key region for innovation and development in China's automotive industry and an important automotive production base, said CATL, the battery maker. They are the plant's controlling shareholder. Other partners include Xiaomi and Beijing Automotive Group Co Ltd.