Category: Battery News

China EV battery installations in Mar: CATL overtakes BYD in LFP market for 1st time this year

CATL's share of the LFP market in March was 39.47 percent, higher than 38.88 percent for , which was No. 1 in the LFP market in both January and February.

China's electric vehicle (EV) battery installations continued to grow last month, with CATL maintaining its lead and regaining the top spot over BYD in the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery market.

China's power battery installations in March were 27.8 GWh, up 29.7 percent year-on-year and up 26.7 percent from February, according to data released today by the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA).

CATL's power battery installed base in March was 12.49 GWh, continuing to rank first with a 44.95 percent share, up from 43.76 percent in February.

BYD installed 7.40 GWh of power batteries in March, ranking second with a 26.65 percent share, down 7.54 percentage points from 34.19 percent in February.

CALB saw a market share gain in March, as the company installed 2.86 GWh of power batteries in the month, ranking third with a 10.28 percent share, up 2.89 percentage points from 7.39 percent in February.

Gotion High-tech ranked fourth with a 4.51 percent share of 1.25 GWh installed in March, while Eve Energy ranked fifth with a 3.86 percent share of 1.07 GWh installed.

China's ternary lithium battery installed base in March was 8.7 GWh, accounting for 31.4 percent of the total installed base, up 6.3 percent year-on-year and up 29.8 percent from January.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries accounted for 19.0 GWh or 68.5 percent of the total installed base, up 44.4 percent year-on-year and up 25.3 percent from January.

In the ternary Li-ion battery market, CATL ranked first with 56.99 percent of the total installed base of 4.97 GWh in March.

CALB and LG Energy Solution ranked second and third in the ternary battery market with 16.82 percent and 6.52 percent shares, respectively.

In the LFP battery market, CATL topped the list with 39.47 percent of the installed base of 7.51 GWh in March, the first time it overtook BYD in this market this year.

BYD was second in the LFP market with 7.40 GWh installed in March, with a share of 38.88 percent. In both January and February, BYD ranked first in this market, with shares of 51.52 percent and 49.37 percent, respectively.

CALB and Gotion High-tech ranked third and fourth in the LFP battery market with 7.29 percent and 6.20 percent shares, respectively.

Global EV battery market share in Jan-Feb: CATL 33.9%, BYD 18.2%

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CALB unveils new battery tech, boasting significant performance gains over traditional cylindrical cells

The "U" type structure allows the battery to reduce structural component resistance by 50 percent, achieve an energy density of 300 Wh/kg, and support fast charging beyond 6C, CALB said.  | CALB.HK

As CATL's Qilin Battery begins mass production, CALB, another Chinese battery manufacturer, has also rolled out its battery innovation.

CALB officially unveiled its new battery with a "U" type structure at the recent China EV 100 Forum event, an innovation based on its One-Stop minimalist design concept, according to an article by the CATL rival yesterday.

The battery is based on structural and chemical innovations developed by CALB in-house, the industry's first "U" type structure, according to the article, which features a presentation by an executive.

This design allows the battery to reduce the resistance of structural components by 50 percent, achieve an energy density of 300 Wh/kg, and support fast charging of more than 6C, achieving a significant increase in performance compared to traditional cylindrical batteries, according to CALB.

As background, C refers to the battery's charge multiplier, and 6C means that the battery could theoretically be fully charged in one-sixth of an hour -- 10 minutes.

"We have made a disruptive innovation to the structure of the cylindrical battery by introducing the 'U' type structure," CALB vice president Xie Qiu said in a presentation at the China EV 100 Forum.

While the Tabless structure solves some of the current path problems, treating the cell's shell as a conductive component results in a relatively long path for the current to flow through, Xie said, adding that the shell is steel, which does not conduct well.

CALB's structural innovation reduces the current flow path by 70 percent relative to Tabless cells, reduces structural resistance by 50 percent, and improves space utilization by 3 percent, he said.

Also considering CALB's chemical material system technology, the company's large cylindrical battery can achieve 6C fast charging while the energy density of the cells can reach 300 Wh/kg, according to Xie.

In addition to the performance improvement of the cells, the "U" type structure also helps to improve manufacturing efficiency. Compared with the Tabless technology, the number of welding machines in the production line of this battery is about 70 percent less, he said.

CALB is the latest local manufacturer to announce progress in battery technology innovation.

On June 23, 2022, CATL unveiled its CTP (cell to pack) 3.0 Qilin Battery, which it says brings battery system integration to a new level.

The Qilin Battery allows volume utilization to exceed 72 percent and energy density to reach 255 Wh/kg, easily allowing vehicles to achieve a range of 1000 km, CATL said at the time.

With the same chemistry system and the same pack size, Qilin Battery delivers 13 percent more power compared to the 4680 battery, achieving an overall improvement in range, fast charging, safety, longevity, efficiency, and low-temperature performance, according to CATL.

On March 21, local media outlet The Paper reported that CATL's Qilin Battery has achieved mass production.

CATL is the world's largest battery manufacturer, with a 33.9 percent share in January-February, according to data released by South Korean market research firm SNE Research on March 30.

CALB ranked seventh in the global market with a 3.4 percent share.

Notably, CATL is suing CALB in China for infringing its patent rights.

NIO to use batteries from multiple suppliers including CALB and BYD in sub-brand, report says

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Samsung SDI opens battery R&D center in Shanghai

A new research lab under the center will focus on discovering new functional and affordable materials.

(Image credit: Samsung SDI)

Samsung SDI, South Korea's third-largest battery maker, has opened a new battery research and development center in China to boost its technological competitiveness.

Samsung SDI said Sunday it opened the new center, called SDI China Research and Development Center (SDIRC), in Shanghai on Saturday, according to several South Korean media reports.

The R&D center will focus on building partnerships with Chinese universities and research institutes to secure core battery technologies, according to a report by Korea JoongAng Daily on April 2.

A new research lab under the center will focus on discovering new functional and affordable materials, according to the report.

Samsung SDI opened SDI R&D Europe (SDIRE) in Munich last July and SDI R&D America (SDIRA) in Boston last August. The Chinese research arm will complete the company's worldwide network, the report noted.

Through its global R&D network, the company hopes to ensure that the key framework for battery production, including advanced manufacturing methods, facilities, are competitive for different regional environments, including Europe, the US, and China, respectively, according to a report in the Korea Herald.

"By leveraging global technological competence and talent pools, we will further bolster our pursuit of outstanding technological competitiveness," the report quoted Samsung SDI President and CEO Choi Yoon-ho as saying.

Samsung SDI is the sixth largest battery maker in the world, with a 4.9 percent share in January-February, according to data released by South Korean market research firm SNE Research on March 30.

continued to rank No. 1 in January-February with a 33.9 percent share, the only global battery maker with a share of more than 30 percent.

LG Energy Solution and SK On are the two largest battery manufacturers in Korea, with 13.3 percent and 5.5 percent shares in January-February, ranking third and fifth respectively in the world.

Global EV battery market share in Jan-Feb: CATL 33.9%, BYD 18.2%

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Lithium carbonate prices likely to fall below RMB 100,000, says chairman of battery maker Farasis Energy

Lithium prices continue to fall in China today, with the average price of industrial-grade lithium carbonate falling below RMB 200,000 per ton for the first time in the current down cycle.

Lithium carbonate prices likely to fall below RMB 100,000, says chairman of battery maker Farasis Energy-CnEVPost

A Chinese battery maker's chairman believes lithium carbonate prices could even fall below RMB 100,000 ($14,530), with the battery raw material not seeing a single day of gains this year.

In 2022, the supply and demand for lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide were actually in balance, and there was a lot of hype behind the price surge, Farasis Energy's chairman Wang Yu said in an interview during the China EV 100 Forum yesterday, according to Yicai's report.

Based on this situation this year, the price of lithium carbonate is expected to drop rapidly, Wang said.

Lithium carbonate prices have already dropped to RMB 250,000 per ton and are expected to drop further, to below RMB 100,000 is very likely, he said.

Lithium carbonate prices in China continued to fall today, with the average price of industrial-grade lithium carbonate falling below 200,000 yuan per ton for the first time in the current down cycle.

Battery-grade lithium carbonate fell RMB 12,500 per ton today to an average price of RMB 232,500 per ton, while industrial-grade lithium carbonate fell RMB 10,000 per ton to an average price of RMB 195,000 per ton, according to figures from Mysteel monitored by CnEVPost.

Lithium carbonate resources are not in short supply, and the raw material is not very difficult to produce now, and the industry will return to its normal operations, Wang said.

The actual cost of lithium carbonate per ton is around RMB 30,000, and there is no reason for it to go up to RMB 500,000 or 600,000, he said.

The automotive and battery industries contributed at least RMB 100 billion in profits to the lithium industry last year due to rising raw material prices, Wang said.

At one point in late November last year, battery-grade lithium carbonate was quoted at RMB 590,000 per ton in China, about 14 times the average price of RMB 41,000 per ton in June 2020.

Since then, lithium carbonate quotes have continued their downward spiral, and have not seen a single day of gains this year.

The price of lithium carbonate depends on demand and supply, as well as the price sensitivity of car companies, Wang said.

In the past, new energy vehicle (NEV) sales have soared, and car companies have lost a lot of money to complete their performance, he said, adding that for many automakers, they may cut production if raw material prices do not meet expectations this year.

In addition, the mass production of sodium-ion batteries has already caused an impact on the lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide industries, Wang said.

On February 23, battery maker Hina Battery unveiled three sodium-ion battery cell products and announced a partnership with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC), which made one of its models the first to carry sodium-ion batteries.

Farasis Energy's sodium-ion batteries will also enter mass production this year and will be used in the short term for budget models with a range of up to 300 kilometers and in the medium term for models with a range of up to 500 kilometers, Wang said.

Farasis Energy installed 0.19 GWh of power batteries in China in February, ranking No. 9 with a 0.88 percent share, according to data released last month by the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA).

Lithium carbonate prices likely to fall below RMB 100,000, says chairman of battery maker Farasis Energy-CnEVPost

($1 = RMB 6.8844)

Analysts explain how falling lithium carbonate prices affect EV costs

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Global EV battery market share in Jan-Feb: CATL 33.9%, BYD 18.2%

's share in January-February was the same as in January, while saw its share rise.

CATL and BYD remained the top two players in the global EV battery market in the first two months, with the former's share remaining stable and the latter rising.

In January and February, the total battery consumption of EVs registered in each country was about 75.2 GWh, up 39.0 percent from the previous year, according to data released today by South Korean market research firm SNE Research.

CATL's battery installed base in January-February was 25.5 GWh, up 34 percent from 19.0 GWh in the same period last year.

The Chinese battery giant continues to rank first with a 33.9 percent share, the only global battery maker with a share of more than 30 percent.

CATL's share in January-February was the same as in January, but down 1.2 percentage points from 35.1 percent a year ago.

CATL's batteries are in high demand in passenger cars, including Model 3, Model Y, SAIC's Mulan, ET5 and the Chinese commercial vehicle market, and is expected to maintain its No. 1 position, SNE Research said.

BYD installed 13.7 GWh of power batteries in January-February, up 122.6 percent from 6.1 GWh in the same period last year.

The company ranked second with 18.2 percent market share in the first two months, up from 11.3 percent in the same period last year and up from 17.6 percent in January.

BYD is gaining traction in China's domestic market with its competitive pricing by establishing a vertically integrated supply chain management, including self-supply of batteries and vehicle manufacturing, SNE Research said.

LG Energy Solution saw a 51.9 percent year-on-year increase in power battery installed base of 10.0 GWh in January-February.

The South Korean company ranked third in the world with a 13.3 percent share, up from 12.2 percent a year earlier.

Japan's Panasonic ranked fourth with a 10.4 percent share, South Korea's SK On was fifth with 5.5 percent and Samsung SDI was sixth with 4.9 percent.

China's CALB, Gotion High-tech, Eve Energy and Sunwoda ranked seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth respectively, with shares of 3.4 percent, 2.0 percent, 1.8 percent and 1.4 percent respectively in January-February.

CATL's share in global EV battery market slips in Jan, BYD rises

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Panic selling of lithium carbonate just won’t stop

Lithium carbonate prices continue to decline, leading to a heavy wait-and-see mood among downstream customers, who are reluctant to place large orders.

 

The price of lithium carbonate has dropped by half from five months ago, with panic selling not stopping.

Battery-grade lithium carbonate prices in China fell RMB 12,500 per ton ($1,818 per ton) today, bringing the average price down to RMB 300,000 per ton, according to Mysteel.

Industrial-grade lithium carbonate also fell by RMB 12,500 per ton today, leaving the average price at RMB 260,000 per ton.

Compared to yesterday's average prices, battery grade lithium carbonate and industrial grade lithium carbonate fell by 4 percent and 4.59 percent respectively, the new biggest drop of the year.

The price of battery-grade lithium carbonate has fallen 49 percent compared to RMB 590,000 per ton on November 21 last year, and the drop this year is about 40 percent.

Lithium carbonate is still being sold off at an accelerated pace, a report in local media Yicai today quoted an unnamed industry source as saying.

The continued decline in lithium carbonate prices has led downstream customers to shy away from placing large orders, with a heavy wait-and-see mood, the source said.

On March 20, a company in northwest China's Qinghai province dropped its sell offer for battery-grade lithium carbonate to RMB 280,000 per ton, and some local battery-grade lithium carbonate ex-factory prices dropped to RMB 250,000 per ton, the report noted.

As lithium prices continue to fall in China, some analysts previously said the drop will not last long as imports become more attractive.

Overseas lithium products have seen a significant premium, which could support prices for lithium products in China, said CITIC Securities in a March 7 research note.

Notably, Yicai's report today said there have been withdrawals of lithium carbonate orders in overseas markets, which has further pushed down the price of lithium carbonate.

A month ago, it was reported that was pushing a lithium rebate program to car companies, with some cells to be settled at RMB 200,000 per ton of lithium carbonate.

CATL acknowledged the plan on March 9, but did not mention the base prices.

CATL's lithium sharing plan was not motivated by a price reduction, but rather that the company already owns some mineral resources and does not want to reap windfall profits, the company said.

CATL's proposed price benchmark of RMB 200,000 per ton for lithium carbonate has further lowered market expectations for the price, accelerating the panicked drop in lithium carbonate prices, Yicai's report today quoted several industry sources as saying.

($1= RMB 6.8742)

Lithium prices see biggest drop this year in China as decline accelerates

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Gotion reaches deal with Edison Power to tap Japan’s energy storage market

Gotion and Edison Power have a planned sales target of 1 GWh in the first year of the partnership, rising to 2 GWh per year from the second year onwards.

(Image credit: Gotion High-tech)

Chinese battery giant Gotion High-tech and Japan's Edison Power Co Ltd have reached a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly tap the energy storage market in Japan.

The two signed the agreement on March 15 to jointly develop the Japanese energy storage and battery recycling market and promote Gotion's products in the Japanese market, according to a press release from the Chinese battery maker today.

Gotion and Edison Power have a planned sales target of 1 GWh in the first year of the partnership, rising to 2 GWh per year from the second year onward.

Gotion will provide battery cells, modules and BMS, while Edison Power will be responsible for Japanese energy storage customer management, EPC services, and energy storage system operation and maintenance.

In addition, Gotion will also work with Edison Power to establish a recycling system for recycled energy storage batteries in Japan, according to the release.

With the development of global renewable energy and the revision of Japan's Electricity Business Act in May 2022, new opportunities will arise for the development of Japan's large-scale energy storage battery industry, according to the release.

Edison Power, which began developing and manufacturing energy storage battery systems in 1991, is also developing a solar power business and a biomass power business.

Gotion, one of China's power battery giants, ranked eighth in the world with a 2.1 percent share in January, according to a report released earlier this month by South Korean market research firm SNE Research.

In China, Gotion installed 0.78 GWh of power batteries in February, ranking fourth with a 3.58 percent share, according to data previously released by the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA).

The energy storage battery business is Gotion's second-largest business after power batteries.

In the first half of 2022, Gotion's revenue was RMB 8.6 billion, of which the power battery business contributed RMB 6.6 billion, or 76.51 percent, according to the company's semi-annual report.

Gotion's energy storage battery business generated RMB 1.28 billion in revenue in the first half of last year, contributing 14.8 percent.

Gotion to build $2.36 billion battery materials plant in Michigan

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Lithium prices see biggest drop this year in China as decline accelerates

's management previously said they expect lithium carbonate prices to fall back to RMB 200,000 per ton this year, boosting gross margins.

The price of lithium, a key raw material for batteries, is accelerating its decline.

The price of battery-grade lithium carbonate in China today was down RMB 12,500 per ton ($1,814 per ton) from last Friday, with the latest average price quoted at RMB 312,500 per ton, according to My Steel.

That latest average price is down 3.85 percent from Friday, the biggest drop of the year, data monitored by CnEVPost show.

On Friday, the average price of battery-grade lithium carbonate in China fell RMB 8,000, or 2.4 percent, the previous biggest drop of the year.

Industrial-grade lithium carbonate also fell by RMB 12,500 per ton today, with the average price quoted at RMB 272,500 per ton. Its 4.39 percent drop was also the highest of the year.

The average price of industrial-grade lithium carbonate fell RMB 7,000 per ton to RMB 295,000 per ton on March 16, the first time it has fallen below RMB 300,000 per ton in this down cycle.

The average price of battery-grade lithium carbonate is now barely above RMB 300,000 and is at risk of falling below that mark in the next day or two.

In the two years prior to last November, lithium carbonate prices were soaring alongside the rapid growth of China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry.

On November 23, 2022, the battery-grade lithium carbonate price rose to RMB 590,000 per ton in China, up about 14 times from RMB 41,000 per ton in June 2020.

Since then, however, lithium prices have continued to fall, with industrial-grade lithium carbonate prices falling below RMB 400,000 on February 22 and battery-grade lithium carbonate prices falling below that mark on February 28.

In late February, a local media report that lithium supplies could be disrupted by the production halt in a mining hub in China did not stop lithium carbonate prices from continuing to fall.

As of today, lithium carbonate prices are down about 47 percent from last November's highs and are down about 40 percent so far this year.

The drop in lithium carbonate prices is expected to ease the cost pressures faced by electric vehicle manufacturers.

NIO had previously mentioned that a drop in lithium carbonate price of RMB 100,000 per ton would increase its gross margin by 2 percentage points.

NIO's management said in a conference call with analysts after the March 1 earnings announcement that they expect lithium carbonate prices to fall to RMB 200,000 per ton this year, boosting gross margins.

($1 = RMB 6.8896)

Full text: NIO Q4 earnings call transcript

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Gotion’s controlling shareholder to increase stake by up to RMB 300 million

The move is based on Gotion's controlling shareholder's recognition of the company's value and confidence in its continued rapid growth, according to an exchange announcement.

Gotion's controlling shareholder to increase stake by up to RMB 300 million-CnEVPost

The controlling shareholder of Chinese power battery maker Gotion High-tech plans to increase its stake in the company, whose stock has continued to fall over the past few months.

Gotion's controlling shareholder, Nanjing Guoxuan Holding Group, plans to increase its stake in the company by no less than RMB 200 million yuan ($29 million) and no more than 300 million yuan within six months from March 13, according to a Shenzhen Stock Exchange announcement on March 12.

The share purchase plan will not set a price range, and the controlling shareholder of Gotion will increase its shareholding at an opportune time according to the fluctuation of the share price and the overall trend of the capital market, according to the announcement.

The move is based on Nanjing Guoxuan's recognition of Gotion's intrinsic value and investment value and confidence in the company and the continued rapid development of the global lithium battery market, the announcement said.

Prior to the increase, Nanjing Guoxuan held 9.6 percent of Gotion's shares, while its two concert parties, Li Zhen and Li Chen, held 5.81 percent and 1.6 percent of the shares, respectively.

Li Zhen is the chairman of Gotion and holds 80.69 percent of Nanjing Guoxuan's shares, according to data provider Tianyancha. Li Chen is Li Zhen's son, according to Gotion's third-quarter earnings report.

Nanjing Guoxuan and its concert parties together hold 17.01 percent of Gotion's shares and have promised not to reduce their holdings within six months after completing the increase, according to the announcement.

They will execute the plan through the means permitted by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange securities trading system by September 13, according to the announcement.

Gotion ranked fourth with a 3.58 percent share of the power battery installed base in China at 0.78 GWh in February.

While Gotion's share of the China power battery market has remained stable, its shares have continued to fall over the past few months and are currently down more than 40 percent from their recent highs in early July 2022.

Gotion's controlling shareholder to increase stake by up to RMB 300 million-CnEVPost

As of Monday's close, Gotion was down 0.62 percent to RMB 28.92 in Shenzhen.

($1 = RMB 6.9014)

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China Feb EV battery installations: Total volume up 36% from Jan, CATL share down slightly

's share in February was essentially unchanged from January, while CALB's share grew significantly.

China's power battery installed base rebounded in February compared to January, though 's share declined slightly and CALB's share increased significantly.

In February, China's power battery installed base was 21.9 GWh, up 60.4 percent year-on-year and up 36.0 percent from January, according to data released today by the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA).

CATL's power battery installed base in February was 9.60 GWh, continuing to rank first with a 43.76 percent share, but down from 44.41 percent in January.

BYD installed 7.50 GWh of power batteries in February, ranking second with a 34.19 percent share, essentially unchanged from January's 34.12 percent share.

CALB saw significant market share gains in February, as the company installed 1.62 GWh of power batteries in the month, ranking third with a 7.39 percent share, up 2.46 percentage points from 4.93 percent in January.

Gotion High-tech ranked fourth with an installed base of 0.78 GWh and a 3.58 percent share in February, while Eve Energy ranked fifth with an installed base of 0.71 GWh and a 3.25 percent share.

China's ternary Li-ion battery installed base in February was 6.7 GWh, accounting for 30.6 percent of total installed base, up 15.0 percent year-on-year and up 23.7 percent from January.

The installed base of LFP batteries was 15.2 GWh, accounting for 69.3 percent of the total installed base, up 95.3 percent year-on-year and up 42.2 percent from January.

In the ternary Li-ion battery market, CATL ranked first with 65.53 percent of the total installed base of 4.40 GWh in February.

CALB and LG Energy Solution ranked second and third in the ternary battery market with 10.93 percent and 7.49 percent shares, respectively.

In the LFP battery market, BYD installed 7.50 GWh in February, topping the list with a 49.37 percent share, the second consecutive month it ranked first in this segment.

BYD's power batteries are mainly LFP batteries, which are mainly used in the company's own new energy vehicle (NEV) models.

CATL ranked second in the LFP market with 34.19 percent of the total installed base of 5.20 GWh in February.

CALB and Gotion High-tech ranked third and fourth in the LFP battery market with 5.84 percent and 4.82 percent shares, respectively.

CATL's share in global EV battery market slips in Jan, BYD rises

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