Global EV battery installations reached 608.5GWh in H1 2026, up 22.3% YoY. Chinese companies' market share broke through 70% for the first time, with CATL, BYD, and CALB combining for 65.2%. Korean firms fell to 22.1%, Japanese firms to just 4.3%. Solid-state and sodium-ion batteries are accelerating toward commercialization.
Global Battery Installation: 608.5GWh, Chinese Share Hits Record
According to SNE Research's H1 2026 global EV battery installation data, total installations reached 608.5GWh, up 22.3% YoY and 12.8% QoQ. China contributed approximately 65% of global installations, and Chinese companies' global market share exceeded 70% for the first time.
Global TOP10 Installation Ranking
| Rank | Company | Installation (GWh) | Market Share | YoY Change | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CATL | 198.5 | 32.6% | +18.5% | China |
| 2 | BYD | 112.3 | 18.5% | +28.3% | China |
| 3 | LG Energy Solution | 68.4 | 11.2% | -5.2% | Korea |
| 4 | CALB | 52.1 | 8.6% | +35.7% | China |
| 5 | Panasonic | 26.2 | 4.3% | -12.1% | Japan |
| 6 | SK On | 24.8 | 4.1% | -8.7% | Korea |
| 7 | Samsung SDI | 23.5 | 3.9% | -6.3% | Korea |
| 8 | Gotion | 22.4 | 3.7% | +22.1% | China |
| 9 | EVE Energy | 18.6 | 3.1% | +41.2% | China |
| 10 | Sunwoda | 12.7 | 2.1% | +38.5% | China |
Chinese companies (6 in TOP10) combined for 416.6GWh, 68.4% market share, up 6.1pp from 62.3% in H1 2025.
Three-Camp Structure: China Expands, Korea Shrinks, Japan Marginalized
Chinese Camp: From Follower to Leader
Chinese battery companies are transitioning from "scale leadership" to "technology leadership":
CATL:
- 198.5GWh installations, 32.6% share, 7th consecutive year as global #1
- Qilin Battery (CTP 3.0) in mass production: 255Wh/kg, 1,000km+ range
- Shenxing supercharging: "10 minutes charging, 400km range"
- Overseas: Germany Thuringia plant 14GWh, Hungary plant planned 100GWh
BYD:
- 112.3GWh, 18.5% share, +28.3% YoY — fastest growth in TOP10
- Blade Battery (LFP) safety and cost advantages, 20+ external OEM customers
- Overseas: supplying Tesla Berlin, Toyota bZ3X, Ford F-150 Lightning
CALB:
- 52.1GWh, 8.6% share, +35.7% YoY — fastest growth in TOP3
- "One-Stop Battery" reduces structural weight 40%, volume utilization +30%
- Customers: XPeng, NIO, Changan, GAC
Korean Camp: Continuous Share Erosion
Korean trio (LG, SK On, Samsung SDI) combined 116.7GWh, 19.2% share, down 5.3pp from 24.5% in H1 2025.
Core challenges:
- Cost disadvantage: NCM raw material (Ni, Co) price volatility, 15-20% higher cost than LFP
- Customer loss: Hyundai, Kia beginning to source Chinese LFP batteries
- Single tech route: Over-reliance on NCM, lagging LFP development
LG Energy Solution responses:
- Ultium Cells JV with GM expanding to 50GWh
- Increasing LFP R&D, LFP product planned for 2027
- Solid-state: Toyota partnership, mass production 2028
Japanese Camp: Marginalization Trend Clear
Panasonic (Tesla's main supplier): 26.2GWh, 4.3% share, -12.1% YoY. Toyota, Honda self-developed battery progress slow; Japanese influence in power batteries continues declining.
Technology Route Battle: LFP vs NCM
H1 2026 showed clear "LFP-ization" trend:
| Tech Route | Installation (GWh) | Share | YoY Change | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LFP | 365.1 | 60.0% | +8.5pp | Mid/low-end passenger, energy storage |
| NCM/NCA | 213.4 | 35.1% | -7.2pp | Premium passenger, long-range |
| Others (Na-ion/solid-state) | 30.0 | 4.9% | -1.3pp | Pilot applications |
LFP share broke 60%, benefiting from:
- Cost advantage: LFP ~0.45 yuan/Wh, NCM ~0.55 yuan/Wh
- Safety: Better thermal stability, lower recall risk
- Cycle life: LFP 3,000+ cycles, NCM ~1,500 cycles
But NCM retains irreplaceable advantages in premium market:
- Energy density: NCM 811 up to 300Wh/kg, LFP ~180Wh/kg
- Low-temp performance: -20℃ NCM retention 70%, LFP ~55%
Emerging Tech: Solid-State and Sodium-Ion Accelerating
Solid-State: From Lab to Production
2026 is called "solid-state battery commercialization year":
| Company | Tech Route | Mass Production | Energy Density | Partner OEM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATL | Sulfide solid-state | 2027 | 500Wh/kg | BMW, Mercedes |
| Toyota | Sulfide solid-state | 2028 | 450Wh/kg | Lexus |
| QuantumScape | Oxide solid-state | 2027 | 400Wh/kg | VW |
| WeLion | Oxide solid-state | 2026 | 360Wh/kg | NIO |
Solid-state core advantages:
- Safety: Eliminates liquid electrolyte, drastically reduces thermal runaway risk
- Energy density: Theoretical ceiling 500Wh/kg, 2x current lithium batteries
- Life: Cycle life up to 10,000+
Challenges:
- Cost: Current ~2 yuan/Wh, 4x liquid batteries
- Manufacturing: Sulfide electrolytes moisture-sensitive, requires dry environment
- Interface impedance: Solid-solid contact impedance higher than solid-liquid
Sodium-Ion: Low-Cost Alternative
Sodium-ion batteries achieved industrialization breakthrough in 2026:
| Company | Capacity (GWh) | Product | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATL | 10 | Gen 1 sodium-ion | Energy storage, A00 vehicles |
| HiNa Battery | 5 | Sodium-ion cells | Two-wheelers, storage |
| Huayang | 2 | Sodium-ion battery | Mining trucks, storage |
Sodium-ion advantages:
- Cost: Raw materials (Na, Fe, Mn) 1/10 price of Li, Ni, Co
- Safety: Better thermal stability than lithium, nail penetration safe
- Low-temp: -20℃ capacity retention 85%+
Disadvantages:
- Energy density: 120-160Wh/kg, only 70% of LFP
- Cycle life: ~2,000 cycles, below LFP
Chinese Market: Global Battery "Main Battlefield"
H1 2026 China battery installations: 395.2GWh, 65% of global. Characteristics:
Structural Changes
- Passenger vehicle share: 85% (+3pp YoY), commercial vehicles down to 12%
- LFP share: 68% (+5pp YoY), NCM down to 30%
- Top10 concentration: 95.8% (+1.2pp YoY), Matthew effect intensifying
Price War and Profits
H1 2026 battery prices continued declining:
- LFP: 0.42 yuan/Wh (-18% YoY)
- NCM 523: 0.52 yuan/Wh (-15% YoY)
- NCM 811: 0.58 yuan/Wh (-12% YoY)
Price declines squeezed profits. CATL Q2 gross margin ~22%, BYD battery business ~18%, second-tier companies generally below 15%. Industry undergoing "volume for share" shakeout.
Outlook: H2 2026 and 2027 Five Trends
- Chinese share continues rising: Expected to break 75% globally by 2027
- Solid-state small-batch installation: Premium models (500K+ yuan) begin using semi-solid-state in 2027
- Sodium-ion scaling: 2027 sodium-ion installations to exceed 50GWh
- European local capacity release: CATL Germany, Hungary plants operational, avoiding tariff barriers
- Recycling industry rising: 2027 retired battery recycling 800K tons, cascade and material recycling forming closed loop
Power batteries are the "heart" of new energy vehicles and critical infrastructure for global energy transition. Chinese companies have established complete industry chain advantages from mining, materials, cells to recycling — advantages difficult to shake in the next 3-5 years.
More detailed market data and technology trends are available at EX1000.COM.
