Global EV Battery Installations Surge 15.9% YoY in Jan–Apr 2026, Led by Chinese Firms

From January to April 2026, global installed capacity of traction batteries for new energy vehicles (including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles) reached 349.6 GWh, an increase of 15.9% year-over-year. Among the top 15 global battery suppliers by installed capacity, Chinese companies stood out prominently. CATL maintained its leading position with a market share exceeding 40%, while Sunwoda, Ruipu Lanjun, and EVE Energy all reported year-over-year growth in installed capacity exceeding 50%. In overseas markets, Panasonic sustained stable installations thanks to its key North American customers. Among South Korea’s three major battery makers, only LG achieved modest year-over-year growth, while SK On and Samsung SDI saw declines—Samsung SDI’s installed capacity dropped by 37% year-over-year. As the global traction battery industry enters a phase of concentrated capacity ramp-up, merely expanding scale is no longer sufficient to improve rankings. Some companies are enhancing competitiveness through differentiated strategies—for instance, Sunwoda has expanded from consumer batteries into the traction battery segment, while Ruipu Lanjun is simultaneously developing both energy storage and traction battery businesses. The global traction battery installation landscape is expected to undergo further adjustments in the second half of 2026, driven by the launch of new vehicle models from multiple automakers.