Global EV Battery Installations Surge 16.3% YoY in Jan–May 2026, with Chinese Firms Capturing 70% Market Share

From January to May 2026, the total installed capacity of batteries for global electric vehicles (including battery electric vehicles [BEVs], plug-in hybrid electric vehicles [PHEVs], and hybrid electric vehicles [HEVs]) reached 469.2 GWh, an increase of 16.3% year-over-year. Chinese battery manufacturers maintained a dominant position in the global market, with seven of the top ten companies hailing from China, collectively holding a market share of 72.6%—up by 2.1 percentage points year-over-year. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) ranked first globally with an installed capacity of 188.4 GWh, up 22.9% year-over-year, raising its market share to 40.2%. BYD came second with 67.6 GWh, a slight year-over-year decline of 0.4%, giving it a market share of 14.4%. Second-tier Chinese firms—including SVOLT Energy Technology, Guoxuan High-Tech, EVE Energy, SVOLT Energy, and Sunwoda—posted significant growth, with most reporting year-over-year increases exceeding 35%. Japanese and South Korean manufacturers faced mounting pressure overall. LG Energy Solution ranked third with 41.0 GWh, up 7.3% year-over-year, though its market share slipped to 8.7%. SK On recorded an installed capacity of 15.8 GWh, down 5.8% year-over-year, while Panasonic’s capacity stood at 15.1 GWh, a decline of 8.5% year-over-year. The global battery market is currently experiencing regional divergence, with Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America emerging as key growth drivers. In contrast, markets in North America and China have seen heightened volatility due to policy shifts and production capacity adjustments. Industry competition is increasingly shifting toward structural optimization, technological iteration, and strategic regional positioning. Chinese companies are leveraging their scale and cost advantages to target mainstream markets, while Japanese and Korean firms are focusing on premium cells and localized solutions.