Global EV Battery Market Share: CATL Leads at 39.4%

Global EV Battery Market Growth Through August 2026

The CATL-led global EV battery market continued expanding through the first eight months of 2026, with worldwide battery installations reaching 844.2 GWh from January through August. According to data released by South Korean market research firm SNE Research, the total increased 19.7% year over year. August alone accounted for 116.8 GWh, representing a 14.3% year-over-year increase. The figures include battery installations for battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and conventional hybrids, providing a broad measure of demand across electrified vehicle categories and showing that global battery deployment continued to grow despite significant regional differences.

CATL Maintains Global Battery Leadership

CATL remained the world's largest EV battery supplier, recording 333.0 GWh of global battery installations between January and August 2026. Its installations increased 25.2% year over year, allowing the company to grow faster than the overall market. CATL's global share reached 39.4%, compared with 37.7% a year earlier. However, its share was 0.5 percentage points lower than the 39.9% recorded during January through July. The results nevertheless left CATL firmly ahead of every other battery manufacturer and reinforced its position as the dominant supplier in the global EV battery market during the period.

BYD Retains Second Position as Combined Share Tops Half

BYD ranked second with 127.9 GWh of battery installations from January through August, an increase of 6.2% compared with the same period a year earlier. Its market share declined to 15.1% from 17.1% a year earlier, although the figure was higher than the 14.7% recorded through July. CATL and BYD together accounted for 54.6% of global battery installations, unchanged from January through July and slightly below their 54.8% combined share a year earlier. Despite the modest year-over-year decline, the two companies continued to control more than half of the global market.

LG Energy Solution Faces Slower Growth

South Korea's LG Energy Solution ranked third with 68.3 GWh of battery installations, up only 0.9% year over year. Its global market share declined to 8.1% from 9.6% a year earlier, reflecting growth that substantially trailed the overall market. SNE Research said LG Energy Solution continued supplying Tesla, GM, Hyundai Motor Group, and Volkswagen. However, its battery installations in North America fell 42.3% year over year to 14.6 GWh. Increases in Europe and Asia partially offset the North American decline, but the regional weakness contributed to the company's reduced global share during the first eight months of 2026.

Chinese Battery Suppliers Gain Ground

Chinese manufacturers strengthened their collective position across the top 10. CALB ranked fourth with 44.4 GWh, up 32.6% year over year, while its share increased to 5.3% from 4.7%. Gotion High-tech ranked fifth with 41.5 GWh, representing 47.1% growth and a share increase to 4.9% from 4.0%. Eve Energy ranked seventh after installations climbed 53.9% to 29.5 GWh, lifting its share to 3.5% from 2.7%. Svolt Energy ranked ninth with 22.0 GWh, up 39.3%, while Rept Battero Energy remained tenth after installations surged 126.3% to 20.3 GWh. The seven Chinese companies in the top 10 collectively held 73.3% of the market.

Top EV Battery Manufacturers by January-August Installations

The January-through-August rankings show a wide gap between the two leading suppliers and the rest of the market, while also highlighting the strong growth rates achieved by several Chinese manufacturers. The seven Chinese companies represented in the top 10 increased their combined share to 73.3%, compared with 69.7% a year earlier and 72.8% through July. The table below preserves the reported installation volumes, year-over-year changes, and market shares for the leading manufacturers, including the combined category representing suppliers outside the named top 10 companies.

Regional Battery Installation Trends

Battery installations increased 29.2% year over year in Europe, 16.9% in China, 76.0% in Asia excluding China, and 179.9% in South America during the first eight months of 2026. North America moved in the opposite direction, with installations declining 23.7% year over year to 73.1 GWh. SNE Research attributed the North American shortfall to persistent weakness in U.S. EV demand. Battery manufacturers also shifted some EV battery production lines toward energy storage systems, indicating that changing regional demand conditions were influencing how battery production capacity was being utilized.

Regional Market Divergence Shapes Battery Demand

The regional results demonstrate that global battery growth was not evenly distributed across major markets. Strong increases in Europe, Asia outside China, and South America helped offset the decline in North America, while China continued to account for a substantial share of global battery deployment. The shift of some North American EV battery production capacity toward energy storage systems also shows how manufacturers are responding to weaker vehicle demand. At the supplier level, companies with faster installation growth were able to expand their market positions, while slower-growing manufacturers saw their shares decline even when their absolute installation volumes increased.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The results point to continued concentration in the global EV battery supply chain, with CATL and BYD together controlling more than half of installations and seven Chinese suppliers accounting for nearly three-quarters of the top-10 market. The contrasting regional trends suggest that battery manufacturers will need to balance production capacity across EV and energy storage applications as demand patterns change. North America's decline may place greater emphasis on production flexibility, while faster-growing markets in Europe, Asia, and South America could remain important sources of battery demand. Competitive pressure is likely to remain particularly strong among suppliers seeking to expand beyond their existing regional and customer bases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which company had the largest global EV battery market share from January through August 2026?
CATL held the largest global EV battery market share during the first eight months of 2026, with 333.0 GWh of battery installations and a 39.4% share. Its installations increased 25.2% year over year, exceeding the 19.7% growth of the overall global market. CATL's share was higher than the 37.7% recorded a year earlier, although it was 0.5 percentage points below the 39.9% reported for January through July. The company remained substantially ahead of BYD, which ranked second with a 15.1% share.

What was the combined market share of CATL and BYD?
CATL and BYD together accounted for 54.6% of global EV battery installations from January through August 2026. CATL contributed 333.0 GWh, while BYD recorded 127.9 GWh, giving the two companies a combined position representing more than half of the global market. Their combined share was unchanged from January through July and slightly below the 54.8% recorded a year earlier. BYD's individual share declined year over year, while CATL's share increased, resulting in the same combined percentage reported through July.

How did Chinese battery manufacturers perform in the global market?
Seven Chinese companies in the global top 10 collectively held a 73.3% share of EV battery installations from January through August 2026. That represented an increase from 69.7% a year earlier and was also higher than the 72.8% recorded through July. CALB, Gotion High-tech, Eve Energy, Svolt Energy, and Rept Battero Energy all increased their installation volumes year over year, with Rept Battero Energy recording the strongest growth at 126.3%. The results demonstrate the continued expansion of Chinese suppliers across the global EV battery market.