CATL opens largest Ning Service Centre outside Asia in Oslo

CATL has opened its largest Ning Service Center outside Asia in Oslo. The new location will serve Norway and the Nordic region with battery testing, maintenance, repair, second-life applications, and recycling.

The new Ning Service Center in Oslo covers 8,000 square meters.

Image: CATL

A new battery lifecycle service centre operated by the Chinese battery giant CATL was opened in Oslo on 24 September. At 8,000 square metres, the facility is CATL’s largest Ning Service centre outside Asia and is intended to serve as a central hub for Norway and the other Nordic countries.

According to the company, the range of services includes diagnostics, maintenance, and repair, as well as insurance services, second-life applications, and recycling. Ning Service is designed to cover not only vehicle batteries but also applications in energy storage and robotics. The centre will also serve as a sales and experience hub for additional electric applications such as ships and eVTOL aircraft.

The expansion comes at a time when Norway already has a highly developed electric vehicle market. In August, the share of battery-electric passenger cars among new registrations was 98.7 per cent, according to CATL, while for buses and coaches it exceeded 60 per cent. With the growing and increasingly ageing vehicle fleet, the demand for battery diagnostics, repair, and condition assessment is also rising.

Data from the used car market also shows that a complete battery replacement is not always necessary. An analysis published this summer by Swedish dealer Carla, based on nearly 10,000 battery tests, found that many electric cars still retain a high proportion of their original battery capacity even after more than 100,000 kilometres. This increases the importance of diagnostics and targeted repairs to extend battery life as long as possible.

CATL focuses on repair over battery replacement

This is precisely the focus of Ning Service’s business model. CATL aims to shift the aftermarket from complete battery replacement towards repair. According to the company, the processing time for complex repairs has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours.

The repair expertise currently covers 76.8 per cent of electric vehicle models. One of the tools used is the so-called “Intelligent Eagle Eye System”, which, according to CATL, is already in use in more than 150 repair workshops and ensures traceability and quality control.

The Oslo location is also set to become Ning Service’s most important training centre in the Nordic countries. CATL plans to offer certified courses and practical training for local technicians there. This is based on a training network across 39 European countries and a team of 14 experienced instructors. Collaborations with Norwegian universities and technical institutions are also planned.

“Customers are at the heart of everything we do at NING SERVICE. Working closely with our local partners, we will provide reliable battery lifecycle services that meet the needs of Norway’s EV market and support its continued electrification,” said Bruce Li, President of Quality Systems, Aftermarket Business Division, CATL.

The circular economy is also part of the concept. Together with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, CATL has launched the Global Energy Circularity Commitment initiative. Batteries are to be used for as long as possible, and the materials they contain are then to be recycled for use in new batteries.

CATL has been expanding Ning Service into an international aftermarket network for several years. The service business has existed since 2015, and Ning has operated as an independent brand since 2024. At the beginning of 2026, CATL opened its first Ning Service Experience Center in the Middle East in Riyadh. The facility there covers more than 7,000 square metres and also offers diagnostics, repair, maintenance, recycling, training, as well as logistics and storage services.

At 8,000 square metres, the new European location in Oslo is even larger. Ning Service currently operates a total of 1,394 service locations in 85 countries and regions. By 2027, CATL aims to have a presence in 100 countries, and by 2030, the network is expected to grow to 10,000 service locations.