- CATL’s September installations reached 35.49 GWh as it held a 40.92% share, reflecting consolidation as top suppliers capture volume from smaller rivals and automakers.
- China’s combined power and energy storage output hit 237.8 GWh in September, with power batteries at 149.2 GWh and exports totaling 44 GWh (19.7% of sales).
- Dominant LFP chemistry (74.5 GWh, 85.5% of installations) targets mainstream BEVs, but risks include scaling raw‑material supply, export dependency and concentrated market share.
On Sept. 15, the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance released its monthly report on China’s power battery industry for September 2026.
China’s combined output of power and energy storage batteries reached 237.8 GWh in September, up 57.3% year on year and 0.3% month on month.
Cumulative output for the first nine months totaled 1,833.1 GWh, representing year-on-year growth of 63.4%.
In terms of sales, combined sales of power and energy storage batteries reached 222.7 GWh in September, up 52% year on year but down 0.2% month on month.
Power battery sales totaled 149.2 GWh, accounting for 67% of the combined total, while energy storage battery sales reached 73.5 GWh.
From January to September, combined sales of power and energy storage batteries reached 1,681.7 GWh, up 57.6% year on year.
Exports provided another important source of industry growth. China exported a combined 44 GWh of power and energy storage batteries in September.
The figure represented a 64.5% year‑on‑year rise and a 3.7% month‑on‑month increase, making up 19.7% of total battery sales for the month.
Of that total, power battery exports reached 28.4 GWh, while energy storage battery exports totaled 15.6 GWh.
Cumulative exports from January to September reached 302.9 GWh, up 51.6% year on year.
Battery export growth mirrors the expansion of China’s new energy vehicle exports.
According to the CPCA, exports of NEV passenger vehicles by manufacturers reached 558,000 units in September, up 163.5% year on year.
In the domestic market, retail sales of NEV passenger vehicles reached 1.084 million units that month, with the NEV penetration rate rising to 67%, up 9.1 percentage points year on year.
The expansion of the vehicle market is supporting demand for power batteries.
Domestic power battery installations totaled 87.2 GWh in September, up 14.7% year on year and 10.4% month on month.
By battery chemistry, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) continued to extend its lead.
LFP battery installations reached 74.5 GWh in September, accounting for 85.5% of the total, while ternary lithium battery installations came to 12.3 GWh.
In the first nine months of the year, cumulative domestic power battery installations reached 576.3 GWh, up 16.7% year on year.
LFP battery installations totaled 477.2 GWh, compared with 97.9 GWh for ternary lithium batteries.
By vehicle type, battery electric vehicles remained the largest source of power battery demand.
In August, battery electric vehicles accounted for 83.6% of installations, while plug-in hybrid vehicles represented 16.3%.
Market concentration continued to increase. A total of 31 battery manufacturers supplied batteries for vehicles in September, four fewer than in the same month last year.
The top 10 companies recorded combined installations of 82.1 GWh, accounting for 94.2% of the market and leaving limited share for smaller competitors.
CATL maintained a commanding lead, with battery installations reaching 35.49 GWh in September and a market share of 40.92%.
BYD ranked second with 18.29 GWh installed, representing a 21.09% share. Together, CATL and BYD accounted for 62.01% of the market.
CALB, EVE Energy and Gotion High-Tech followed, with installations of 6.04 GWh, 5.03 GWh and 4.87 GWh, respectively.
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