CATL unveiled its 2035 battery value chain carbon-neutrality roadmap on August 17, 2026, after achieving core operations carbon neutrality by end-2025. The company produced 748 GWh of batteries in 2025, with energy intensity down 28% and carbon intensity down 77% from 2022 levels.
Two-Stage Strategy: From Operations to Full Value Chain
CATL officially released its 2035 battery value chain carbon-neutrality roadmap on August 17, 2026, in Ningde, Fujian, while formally presenting results from its previously announced core operations carbon-neutrality target. The new plan shifts focus from direct operational emissions to the substantially larger footprint spanning raw materials, component production, transportation, and recycling.
CATL first announced its two-stage strategy in 2023:
- Phase 1 (End of 2025): Carbon neutrality in core operations
- Phase 2 (2035): Carbon neutrality across the full battery value chain
2025 Target Achieved: 20 Plants Certified
By end-2025, 20 CATL battery plants had received carbon-neutrality certification under the ISO 14068-1 framework. Zero-carbon electricity classified by CATL accounted for 100% of power used in core operations.
Core operations carbon neutrality covers emissions from CATL's own production and operating activities—primarily electricity and thermal energy consumed by factories. Residual emissions are balanced with verified carbon credits after reduction measures are applied.
Key 2025 production figures:
- Battery production: 748 GWh
- Lithium-ion battery sales: 2.3x increase from 2022 to 2025
- Remained world's largest battery manufacturer throughout the period
Dramatic Emissions Intensity Reduction
CATL organized its program around six pillars: product design, manufacturing, factory operations, supply, circularity, and zero-carbon electricity.
Key decarbonization results:
- Over 18 terawatt-hours of zero-carbon electricity used since 2023
- Energy consumption per unit of battery output in 2025 was 28% lower than 2022
- Carbon-emissions intensity fell by approximately 77% over two years
- Total avoided emissions exceeding 10 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
| Metric | 2022 Baseline | 2025 | Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Intensity per Unit | Baseline | — | -28% |
| Carbon Intensity | Baseline | — | -77% |
| Zero-Carbon Electricity | — | 18+ TWh | — |
| Certified Plants | — | 20 | — |
The 2035 Challenge: Supply Chain Emissions 5x Core Operations
CATL's next target spans the entire battery value chain from mineral extraction to finished products. The company estimates that suppliers generate more than 80% of lifecycle emissions, with their combined footprint exceeding core operations by more than five times.
This imbalance explains why the 2035 goal depends heavily on changes beyond CATL's own factories. Materials producers, component suppliers, logistics providers, and recycling companies must all participate.
CATL's carbon-management platform traces emissions through mineral extraction, raw-material refining, material synthesis, and component manufacturing. It is described as the lithium-ion battery industry's first carbon-data platform covering this entire upstream chain. The platform has completed calculations using operational emissions data from 100+ core tier-one suppliers.
Green Procurement and Industry Collaboration
CATL Procurement Director Huang Bin said the company wants emissions reductions to lower costs as well, turning environmental performance into a source of commercial competitiveness.
Key initiatives:
- A green procurement guide incorporating carbon footprints, renewable-energy use, and energy consumption per unit into supplier qualification and auditing
- An initial group of 30 core suppliers in a dedicated supply-chain decarbonization program
- A proposed global collaborative platform for a carbon-neutral lithium-ion battery ecosystem, focusing on common standards, coordinated technology projects, and joint action
At the event, CATL signed value-chain agreements with cathode material, anode material, and current collector suppliers. It also entered strategic partnerships with China's NCSC and the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange.
However, the company has not disclosed supplier-specific emissions targets or interim milestones. Progress will depend on whether its carbon-data system produces comparable, auditable reductions across a geographically dispersed supply chain. For more battery industry analysis, visit EX1000.COM.
