From：Internet Info Agency 2026-09-09 07:30:00
At the Core Operations Carbon Neutrality Launch Event, CATL Chairman Zeng Yuqun stated that batteries that are not zero-carbon will be phased out by the times. On the same day, CATL announced it had already achieved carbon neutrality in its core operations by the end of 2025 and set a target to achieve carbon neutrality across its entire value chain by 2035. On August 18, the EU’s New Battery Regulation mandated the implementation of carbon footprint labeling, requiring all traction batteries exported to the EU to carry labels displaying their full lifecycle carbon emissions. These labels are classified into five grades—A to E—based on carbon footprint levels. By February 2028, batteries exceeding the maximum carbon footprint threshold will be banned from sale outright. Key milestones under the EU’s New Battery Regulation include: starting February 2026, industrial and stationary storage batteries must submit third-party verified carbon footprint declarations; from August 18, 2026, all batteries exported to the EU must bear carbon footprint grade labels; beginning August 2027, the “battery passport” system will be fully implemented, assigning each battery a unique digital identity recording its composition, carbon footprint, and recycled material content; and from 2029 onward, products exceeding carbon emission limits will be directly prohibited from sale. According to EU plans, the carbon footprint limit for stationary storage batteries will gradually tighten, with reports indicating a threshold of approximately 100 kgCO₂e/kWh, though the exact implementation timeline awaits confirmation in the EU’s detailed regulations. Europe is the largest overseas market for Chinese traction batteries, receiving over 30% of total exports. Industry research data shows that during the manufacturing phase of new energy vehicles, traction battery production accounts for roughly 40% to 50% of total carbon emissions. The full lifecycle carbon footprint distribution of traction batteries is as follows: upstream mining and material refining contribute about 40%–50%, cell manufacturing accounts for 20%–30%, and the usage phase represents 10%–20%. CATL requires suppliers to provide carbon footprint data starting in 2027 and offers preferential terms to those demonstrating superior carbon performance. Panasonic plans to achieve substantial net-zero emissions across all its global production sites by fiscal year 2028, with 100% renewable energy usage, and aims to reduce the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing by 50% by 2030. CATL’s subsidiary Brunp Recycling has already achieved recovery rates of 99.6% for nickel, cobalt, and manganese, and 96.5% for lithium, establishing a global collection network through 1,200 service points. Retired traction batteries typically retain around 80% of their usable capacity, and repurposing them for secondary applications can reduce manufacturing-phase carbon emissions by approximately 15%. Using hydrometallurgical processes, recovery rates reach 99.6% for nickel and cobalt and 96.5% for lithium. Traction batteries produced using recycled materials generate about 60% lower lifecycle carbon emissions compared to those made from virgin materials. Building an integrated full lifecycle system—from repurposing and material regeneration to closed-loop recycling—can reduce carbon emissions in re-manufacturing processes by 40% to 60%. At the 2026 World New Energy Vehicle Congress, Academician Ouyang Minggao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences identified full lifecycle green and low-carbon development as one of the three major trends for the traction battery industry and forecasted that China’s retired battery volume will exceed 2 million tons by 2030. Wan Gang, Honorary Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, called for accelerating the implementation of a digital ID management system for traction batteries. Sodium-ion batteries can reduce full lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 60% compared to lithium-ion batteries. CATL began deploying sodium-ion batteries in energy storage applications in 2026. Policy requirements now mandate that newly built or expanded smelting projects must either construct accompanying renewable energy generation facilities capable of supplying at least 60% of annual electricity consumption or directly procure green power. Envision AESC equips every battery with a “Zero-Carbon Green Code,” allowing customers to scan a QR code to view the amount of green electricity used in production and associated CO₂ emissions. Beijing Easpring Material Technology is building a factory in Finland, where its overseas facilities operate on nearly 100% clean energy. During the 2026 World New Energy Vehicle Congress, the Battery Industry Green Supply Chain Initiative and the Zero-Carbon Transport Corridor Project along Sichuan’s section of National Highway 318 were simultaneously launched. In the *Traction Battery Industry Development Index (2026)*, Sichuan ranked first nationwide for the first time in overall evaluation.
