- China drive battery installed capacity reached 42.0GWh in January 2026, marking steady year-over-year growth.
- Lithium-iron phosphate batteries dominated the mix while leading manufacturers controlled nearly half the market.
China drive battery installed capacity reached 42.0GWh in January 2026, reflecting an 8.4% year-over-year increase according to data released by the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance. The latest figures highlight stable growth momentum in the country’s electrification transition, with lithium-iron phosphate batteries continuing to dominate the technology mix. The distribution across passenger vehicle segments and installed capacity rankings further reveals evolving market dynamics among leading battery manufacturers.
China Drive Battery Installed Capacity Overview
The China drive battery installed capacity totaled 42.0GWh in January, demonstrating sustained expansion compared to the same period last year. This growth reflects consistent demand from the new energy vehicle sector despite shifting market shares among different battery chemistries and vehicle types.
Technology Split: LFP vs Ternary Batteries
Lithium-iron phosphate batteries accounted for 32.7GWh of the China drive battery installed capacity, representing 77.7% of the total and increasing 8.1% year-over-year. In contrast, ternary batteries reached 9.4GWh, capturing 22.3% of the total market and rising 9.6% year-over-year. The continued dominance of lithium-iron phosphate batteries reflects cost advantages, safety performance, and supply chain maturity.
Vehicle Segment Contribution to Installed Capacity
By vehicle category, battery electric passenger vehicles contributed 60.3% of the China drive battery installed capacity in January, marking a slight 1.4% year-over-year decline in share. Meanwhile, plug-in hybrid electric passenger vehicles accounted for 22.2% of the total, recording a significant 22.1% year-over-year increase.
Shifting Momentum Toward Plug-in Hybrids
The increase in plug-in hybrid electric passenger vehicles indicates changing consumer preferences and regulatory incentives supporting hybrid adoption. Although battery electric passenger vehicles remain dominant, the rapid growth in plug-in hybrids is gradually influencing overall China drive battery installed capacity composition.
Installed Capacity Rankings of Leading Battery Makers
The competitive landscape of China drive battery installed capacity remains concentrated among a handful of major manufacturers. The top 10 companies accounted for the vast majority of installations in January.
- CATL: 20.9GWh, accounting for 49.8%
- BYD: 7.3GWh, 17.4%
- Gotion High-tech: 2.6GWh, 6.1%
- CALB: 2.2GWh, 5.3%
- EVE Energy: 2.1GWh, 4.9%
- Rept Battero: 1.3GWh, 3.1%
- Sunwoda: 1.2GWh, 2.8%
- SVOLT Energy: 1.1GWh, 2.5%
- Zenergy: 0.9GWh, 2.1%
- Energee: 0.8GWh, 1.8%
CATL maintained a dominant position with nearly half of the China drive battery installed capacity in January, followed by BYD and other emerging suppliers. The concentration at the top highlights strong scale advantages and established partnerships within the domestic new energy vehicle ecosystem.
Overall, the January data confirms that China drive battery installed capacity continues to expand steadily, supported by lithium-iron phosphate batteries and evolving demand across passenger vehicle segments.
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