Chinese battery firms expand global reach despite ongoing safety concerns

People stand at a booth of battery maker CATL during the first China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing, China, Nov. 28, 2023. Reuters-Yonhap

Shares of Korean players drop 1.8%p in 1st half

Chinese battery manufacturers have rapidly expanded their global presence despite ongoing safety concerns both at home and abroad, according to data and industry officials, Friday.

According to data from market tracker SNE Research, global battery consumption for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid cars — excluding those in China — totaled 165.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the first half of 2024, up 13.1 percent from the previous year.

The increase was driven by the robust growth of multiple Chinese battery firms.

The figure for CATL, the world’s largest battery firm, came in at 44.9 GWh, up 12.1 percent during the same period. The company held a 27.2 percent share of the global battery market from January to June.

CATL's influence is growing as top-selling EVs from global automakers source their batteries from the Chinese company. They include Tesla’s Model 3 and the Model Y. Mercedes-Benz also sources batteries from CATL for the carmaker’s EQ series. Volkswagen is also forging a supply partnership with CATL.

BYD, another rapidly growing battery player in China, also expanded its presence by attaining growth of 144.8 percent. BYD battery consumption reached 6 GWh.

Of particular interest is Farasis Energy, which also achieved triple-digit growth in global battery consumption. The firm’s battery consumption reached 3.1 GWh. Its global market share also edged up 0.8 percentage point to 1.8 percent in the first half of this year.

However, Farasis Energy is making headlines here for all the wrong reasons, after a Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan, equipped with a nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery from the Chinese battery maker, caught fire earlier this month. An investigation into the accident is still ongoing, but a potential battery fault is emerging as a likely cause. The incident also resulted in over a hundred vehicles parked near the EQE being completely destroyed by the fire.

LG Energy Solution’s battery cell plant in Wroclaw in Poland / Courtesy of LG Energy Solution

Against this backdrop, LG Energy Solution lost some of its market share to Chinese competitors. According to data from market tracker SNE Research, the Korean battery manufacturer's market share declined by 1.5 percentage points to 26.5 percent. Despite this, LG Energy Solution remains the world's second-largest battery firm, following CATL.

SK On, the third-largest battery player, also ended up losing some of its market share to Chinese rivals. Its market share fell 0.7 percentage point to 10.5 percent here and abroad during the same period.

However, Samsung SDI succeeded in expanding its global footing with a market share of 9.9 percent, up 0.5 percentage point, making it the world’s fourth-largest battery maker.

Industry watchers noted that it seems unlikely for any Korean battery manufacturers to surpass the influence of Chinese firms in the foreseeable future.

“Chinese firms are advancing rapidly in the global battery market with their price competitiveness,” an official at a carmaker said.

“Their focus on the cheaper lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries generates tangible outcomes, as the global EV industry grows. With an increasing number of carmakers focusing on launching more price-competitive EVs, reducing battery costs has become essential.”