An electric vehicle (EV) battery maker based in China could use its technology to install malware on EVs, monitor EVs, shut down charging networks and cripple the U.S. electrical grid nationwide. The Chinese company, Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), dominates the global EV battery industry, but the Foundation for Defense of Democracies concluded in its new report that CATL is “closely linked” with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Point phone camera here
Meanwhile, CATL continues to expand its business in America. The company aims to build battery plants, EV charging networks, and power storage stations throughout the United States, in close collaboration with U.S. utility companies.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies report warns that such collaboration will grant CATL “direct access” to the U.S. power grid, creating new national security risks.
The report warns readers: “By compromising internet-connected public charging infrastructure, CATL could install malware on EVs, consequently allowing for the extended monitoring of countless vehicles and gathering sensitive information about their owners…these connections serve as potential access points for intelligence collection, cyber espionage, and sabotage.”
One out of every three EVs worldwide already uses a CATL battery. CATL has also signed major supply contracts with Tesla, and has additional partnerships with GM, Volkswagen, BMW and more.
CATL is not the only green energy company out of China seeking to expand its U.S. footprint. Gotion High Tech, a battery manufacturer with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, invested billions of dollars last year to open two major production plants and various facilities in Michigan.
The issue is of such concern that it has already provoked a formal response from the United States, with Republican lawmakers calling for a cap, or limit, to the Chinese companies’ expansion in America.
U.S. legislators also recommended new policies to address the data security risks posed by Chinese firms that are already intertwined with U.S. technologies.
Tags: BMW, China, Chinese Communist Party, Electric Vehicle Batteries, Electric vehicles, General Motors, National Security, Tesla
{ANCHOR}
A STARK WARNING FROM A NATIONAL SECURITY RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY MAKER BASED IN CHINA COULD USE ITS
[L3: REPORT: CHINESE EV BATTERY FIRMS EXPANDING IN U.S. POSE SECURITY RISKS]
TECHNOLOGY TO INSTALL MALWARE ON E-V’S, MONITOR E-V’S IN THE U.S., OR EVEN SHUTDOWN CHARGING NETWORKS AS WELL AS HAMPER THE U-S ELECTRICAL GRID BECAUSE OF ITS FAR REACH AND EXPANSION INTO THE U.S. MARKET.
{CATL VO 1}
CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY – OR C-A-T-L –
IS BASED OUT OF CHINA AND DOMINATES THE GLOBAL E-V BATTERY INDUSTRY.
ACCORDING TO A REPORT RELEASED BY THE “FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES” –
THE COMPANY IS “CLOSELY LINKED” WITH THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY –
AND IS EXPANDING ITS BUSINESS IN AMERICA.
ACCORDING TO THE F-D-D REPORT –
C-A-T-L IS LOOKING TO BUILD BATTERY PLANTS, E-V CHARGING NETWORKS, AND POWER STORAGE STATIONS IN THE U.S. –
WORKING ALONGSIDE AMERICAN UTILITY COMPANIES TO MAKE THE EXPANSION HAPPEN.
{ANCHOR}
BUT ACCORDING TO THE REPORT –
THESE PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WILL GIVE THE COMPANY “DIRECT ACCESS” TO THE U.S. POWER GRID.
AND IN TURN –
CREATE “NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS.”
HERE’S AN EXCERPT STRAIGHT FROM THE REPORT.
“BY COMPROMISING INTERNET-CONNECTED PUBLIC CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, CATL COULD INSTALL MALWARE ON EVS CONSEQUENTLY ALLOWING FOR THE EXTENDED MONITORING OF COUNTLESS VEHICLES AND GATHERING SENSITIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR OWNERS.
“THESE CONNECTIONS SERVE AS POTENTIAL ACCESS POINTS FOR INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION, CYBER ESPIONAGE, AND SABOTAGE.”
{CATL PARTNERSHIPS VO}
C-A-T-L ALREADY HAS A TIGHT GRIP ON THE COMPETITION.
ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE E-V’S WORLDWIDE USES A “C-A-T-L BATTERY.”
THE COMPANY HAS SIGNED A MAJOR SUPPLY CONTRACT WITH TESLA AND HAS PARTNERSHIPS WITH G-M, VOLKSWAGEN, B-M-W AND MORE.
{ANCHOR}
BUT C-A-T-L ISN’T THE ONLY GREEN ENERGY COMPANY WITH TIES TO CHINA EXPANDING ITS FOOTING IN THE U.S.
{GOTION VO}
“GOTION HIGH TECH” – A BATTERY MANUFACTURER WITH TIES TO THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY – INVESTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS LAST YEAR TO OPEN TWO MAJOR PRODUCTION-PLANTS AND OTHER FACILITIES IN MICHIGAN.
{ANCHOR}
THE E-V MARKET IS BOOMING.
AND CHINESE-BASED COMPANIES ARE WANTING THEIR SLICE OF THE U.S. MARKET.
BUT THIS F-D-D REPORT – ALONG WITH REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS –
ARE CALLING FOR ACTION TO POTENTIALLY LIMIT THE CHINESE COMPANIES’ ASPIRATIONS TO EXPAND FURTHER ON U.S. SOIL –
AND RECOMMEND NEW POLICIES TO ADDRESS DATA SECURITY RISKS POSED BY CHINESE FIRMS ALREADY INTERTWINED IN U.S. TECHNOLOGIES.
Overall, CATL, founded by Chinese billionaire Zeng Yuqun in 2011, provides the battery for one in three EVs worldwide, as of 2022. Since 2018, CATL has emerged as the single-largest mid-to-large-sized battery manufacturer for EVs, signing a major supply contract with Tesla and establishing partnerships with General Motors, Volkswagen, BMW, Volvo and other large automakers.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
