Chinese Battery Titans Clinch 1.5 GWh Global Deals While Western Markets Scramble

While Western companies scramble to catch up, Chinese battery manufacturers have seized unprecedented control of the global market. The numbers don’t lie. CATL dominated with a staggering 36.8% global market share in 2025, installing 297.2 GWh from January to September alone. That’s a 31.5% jump year-over-year. Not too shabby.

Chinese battery makers aren’t just winning the global race—they’re lapping the competition while Western companies play catch-up.

BYD isn’t exactly struggling either. They locked in 17.1% of the global pie, installing 157.9 GWh through October. Together, these two Chinese giants accounted for 54.5% of global installations. Just let that sink in for a minute.

Chinese firms aren’t just winning—they’re crushing it. Six major Chinese manufacturers controlled nearly 69% of global EV battery installations in the first ten months of 2025. Meanwhile, Korean firms like LGES, SK On, and Samsung SDI watched their combined share tumble to 16%. Ouch.

The global partnerships tell the real story. CATL supplies everyone who matters: Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen. BYD‘s busy forming joint ventures across Europe and South America. They’re not just making batteries; they’re making friends in high places.

Overseas expansion? Already happened. China expected to control over 60% of global lithium-ion battery exports by 2025. They’ve built factories in places like Hungary to serve European markets directly. Smart move.

Tariffs haven’t exactly slowed them down. Sure, the US slapped a 7.5% tariff on non-EV batteries and pushed sodium-ion cumulative tariffs to 38.4%. But Chinese manufacturers just adapted. Classic.

Korean and Japanese suppliers are feeling the heat. Panasonic clings to 3.8% market share, barely hanging on at seventh place. They’re upgrading factories in Kansas and Nevada, but it might be too little, too late.

The battery world has new rulers. Western markets can scramble all they want, but catching up to China’s scale, cost advantages, and technology leadership? Good luck with that. BYD’s overseas vehicle sales have surged nearly fourfold in November compared to the previous year, further cementing their global dominance.

China’s energy storage capacity reached an impressive 31.4 GW by the end of 2023, demonstrating their complete dominance in both vehicle and stationary battery markets.