The top eight battery factories in China—CATL, BYD, Guoxuan High-Tech, Lishen Battery, CALB, BAK Battery, Wanxiang Group, and OptimumNano Energy—represent a remarkable mix of scale, innovation, and strategic positioning that has enabled China to stay ahead of the curve in the battery industry.
China, with its unprecedented focus on sustainable development and digital transformation, has heavily invested in battery production. As a result, it has quickly become the world’s largest manufacturer and consumer of rechargeable batteries, powered by a robust network of factories that cater to both domestic and international demand.
CATL and other Chinese battery makers are far ahead in the critical area of producing batteries for electric vehicles. Northvolt, Europe’s great hope for catching up, filed for bankruptcy last month. Stellantis includes the Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, Jeep, Peugeot, Fiat, Opel and Alfa Romeo brands, among others.
CATL accounts for 37 percent of the global EV battery market followed by FDB with 16 percent, giving China’s top two competitors alone over half the global market. (See figure 6.) The twain are followed by LG Energy and Panasonic, with 14 percent and 6 percent of the market, respectively.
Headquarters: Ningde, Fujian Overview: CATL is one of China’s largest lithium-ion battery manufacturers and a global leader in battery manufacturing. Key Products A leading manufacturer focuses on high-performance EV batteries with continuous innovations for enhanced energy density, longevity, and safety.
“A lot of consolidation has occurred at Chinese facilities where low prices, combined with struggles with yield, means companies have abandoned plans,” said Benchmark analyst Evan Hartley. He has estimated that these cancellations would reduce China’s battery gigafactory capacity for 2030 by 3 per cent.