On January 6, 2026, the Korean research firm SNE Research released the latest data on global electric vehicle (EV) battery installed capacity for the period from January to November 2025.
The data shows that the total battery usage for global electric vehicles (EVs, PHEVs, HEVs) from January to November 2025 reached approximately 1,046 GWh, marking a year-on-year increase of 32.6%.
In terms of market share, six Chinese battery manufacturers once again ranked among the top 10 globally by installed capacity from January to November 2025. These companies are CATL, BYD, CALB, Gotion High-tech, Eve Energy, and SVOLT. Collectively, these six Chinese firms held a total market share of 69.4%. Meanwhile, the market share of Korean battery makers LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Samsung SDI all declined. Their combined share for the period was 15.7%, down 3.5% from the same period last year. The sole Japanese company on the list, Panasonic, held a 3.7% market share, a decrease of 0.3% year-on-year.
In terms of year-on-year changes in installed capacity, among the top 10 companies, all except Samsung SDI achieved positive growth.
Among Chinese companies, CATL continued to lead the global rankings for battery usage, with a 34.5% increase (400.0 GWh) year-on-year. CATL’s batteries are used not only by major Chinese automakers like Zeekr, AITO, Li Auto, and Xiaomi, but also by numerous leading global manufacturers including Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen.
BYD secured the second spot with a 31.3% growth rate (175.2 GWh). BYD manufactures its own batteries and electric vehicles (BEVs + PHEVs) and has been expanding sales across various models, leveraging strong price competitiveness. The company has rapidly increased its market share both domestically and overseas, with particularly notable expansion in the European market. In 2025, BYD’s battery usage in Europe reached 12.7 GWh, a staggering 206.6% increase compared to the previous year.
Among Korean companies, LG Energy Solution maintained the third position with a year-on-year increase of 11.1% (96.9 GWh). SK On ranked sixth with a growth rate of 14.1% (40.6 GWh), while Samsung SDI experienced a 5.1% decline (27.1 GWh), placing tenth.
SNE Research noted that LG Energy Solution’s batteries are primarily used in vehicles including Tesla, Chevrolet, Kia, and Volkswagen. For Tesla, weak sales of models equipped with LG batteries led to an 8.2% decrease in its battery usage. Conversely, strong sales of the Kia EV3 and the expansion of sales for Chevrolet’s Ultium platform models (Equinox, Blazer, Silverado EV) in North America were cited as key factors driving LG’s battery usage increase.
SK On’s batteries are mainly supplied to Hyundai Motor Group, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen. Sales recovery after facelifts for Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and EV6, along with good sales of the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.7 in Europe, positively impacted SK On’s battery usage. Although sales of Ford’s high-capacity battery-equipped F-150 Lightning slowed, improved sales of the Explorer EV contributed to a 12.3% year-on-year increase in battery usage for Ford models.
Samsung SDI’s batteries are supplied to BMW, Audi, Rivian, among others. Increased sales of BMW’s key EV models like the i4, i5, i7, and iX, which use Samsung SDI batteries, boosted its installed capacity. While Rivian’s R1S and R1T maintained steady sales in the US, the launch of a new standard-range tri-motor model using Gotion High-tech’s LFP batteries negatively affected Samsung SDI’s supply share. On the other hand, the Audi Q6 e-Tron, based on the PPE platform and equipped with batteries from SDI and CATL, has shown initial positive sales responses, primarily in Europe.
Among Japanese companies, Panasonic, a major supplier to Tesla, ranked seventh with battery usage of 38.5 GWh. To reduce reliance on Tesla, Panasonic is focusing on improving the efficiency of its North American production lines and developing next-generation 4680 and 2170 batteries. Accelerated conversion work at its Kansas and Nevada plants has stabilized the cost structure.
Discussions for new partnerships with North American automakers are expanding, laying the groundwork for demand diversification. These strategies are expected to buffer against risks from Tesla’s internalization efforts and help maintain Panasonic’s medium- to long-term market share in North America.
SNE Research analysis indicates that global EV battery demand continued its growth trend through the end of 2025, but the growth center remains concentrated in China. Both the widespread adoption driven by domestic demand and ongoing price competition are unfolding in China. The trend centered on LFP batteries is spreading globally, while Chinese battery manufacturers are also strengthening their influence through overseas local production and customer diversification.
In contrast, the North American market faced significant potential for contraction early in 2025 due to policy uncertainty and tariff/tax credit risks. However, following the OBBA, incentives for ESS (Energy Storage Systems) remained. Furthermore, the surge in ESS demand, driven by increased power load from AI data centers, is triggering a full-scale transition from EV to ESS. Nevertheless, the cost and time constraints associated with shifting from ternary system-based facilities to prismatic LFP production in the US remain.
The analysis suggests that after 2026, the competitiveness of battery enterprises will hinge on their ability to redesign products, customer bases, and production facilities to achieve dual coverage of both EV and ESS markets in response to regional regulatory changes, rather than merely relying on global expansion alone.
Source: WeChat Official Account——马里亚纳锂电
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