Robin Zeng, the billionaire founder of CATL , aims to reinvent the world’s largest battery maker as a green-energy provider and to slash the cost of developing electric vehicles, upending the economics of the industry that has powered its growth.

Trump wants to prevent Chinese auto imports but has said he remains open to Chinese automakers building vehicles in US

Robin Zeng, the billionaire founder of CATL, aims to reinvent the world’s largest battery maker as a green-energy provider and to slash the cost of developing electric vehicles, upending the economics of the industry that has powered its growth.

Robin Zeng, told Reuters. “Originally, when we wanted to invest in the US, the US government said no,” the Chinese billionaire said in an interview last week. “For me, I’m really open-minded.” Chinese electric-car and battery makers have been ...