Arcfox Adds Two EVs With 99-Second Battery Swaps
Arcfox, the electric vehicle brand of China's BAIC, has launched battery-swappable editions of its Beta S3 sedan and Beta T1 hatchback on CATL's Chocolate swapping network, with the T1 starting at 52,000 yuan, about $7,800, under a battery-leasing plan. Both cars exchange a depleted pack for a charged one in about 99 seconds, and CATL's network already counts more than 1,470 stations in 99 Chinese cities.
A 99-second swap only matters where stations exist, so the real number in this launch is 1,470 stations and a target of 3,000 by the end of 2026.
Arcfox is selling time. The electric brand of China's BAIC has launched battery-swappable editions of two cars, the Beta S3 sedan and the Beta T1 hatchback, and both can trade a depleted pack for a charged one in about 99 seconds on CATL's Chocolate swapping network. The T1 edition starts at 52,000 yuan, about $7,800, under a battery-leasing plan, which puts swapping within reach of buyers who'd never wait at a charger by choice.
The Beta S3 535 Ultra+ LiDAR Swappable Edition is the technical flagship. It's a front-wheel-drive sedan with a permanent-magnet motor making 159 kW, or 213 horsepower, and 250 Nm of torque, good for 0 to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds and a 165 km/h top speed. Its claimed range is 535 km, about 332 miles, on China's CLTC cycle, and it still supports conventional fast charging for drivers who aren't near a swap station.
The S3's driver-assistance hardware is the other half of the pitch. A 192-line LiDAR sensor works with Horizon Robotics' Journey J6M chip to support highway and urban navigation assistance and automated parking. Inside, there's a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and an 8.8-inch digital cluster running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8155 processor. The swappable edition starts at 78,800 yuan, about $11,800, with battery leasing, a price that buys a lot of sensor for the segment.
The Beta T1 is the volume play. It's a compact hatchback, 4,337 mm long on a 2,770 mm wheelbase, with a 95 kW motor, or 127 horsepower, a CATL lithium iron phosphate battery and a 150 km/h top speed. Arcfox hasn't disclosed the swappable edition's range. Pricing starts at 52,000 yuan, about $7,800, and a higher trim costs 60,000 yuan, about $9,000, both under battery-leasing plans that keep the pack itself off the purchase price.
Leasing is where the economics live. Drivers buy the car without owning the battery and pay a monthly fee for a pack the network maintains. Plans start at 399 yuan, about $60, a month for a 5,000 km allowance, roughly 3,100 miles, and unlimited mileage costs 599 yuan, about $90. Buyers also get 10,000 km of free swapping mileage, about 6,200 miles, through 20 vouchers, an offer that covers Beta S3 swappable purchases made by January 31, 2027, and Beta T1 customers.
The network decides whether any of this matters. CATL reports more than 1,470 Chocolate stations across 99 Chinese cities and targets more than 3,000 by the end of 2026. BAIC, CATL and service partner CAES signed a cooperation agreement in April 2026 covering compatible vehicles and swapping infrastructure, and BAIC and CATL announced a broader partnership in October 2026 targeting one million battery-swapping vehicles. A 99-second swap is a headline. A station on your route is the product.
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A little more perspective.
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