News•Apr 6, 2026
Only 22% of China's 310 GWh Lithium-Ion Output Reached a Domestic EV
China’s lithium‑ion battery output surged to 309.7 GWh in Jan‑Feb 2026, yet only 68.3 GWh (22%) fed domestic electric‑vehicle (EV) installs, a steep drop from 50% in 2024. CATL lifted its 2026 production target by roughly 30% to 1,300 GWh, prompting regulators from MIIT, NDRC, SAMR and NEA to warn against blind capacity expansion. The surplus is being absorbed by exports, fast‑growing storage deployments and a statistical residual of about 108 GWh with no disclosed destination. This structural shift challenges the earlier Goldman Sachs view that supply would rebalance with demand by 2028.
