“China has swallowed 73% of the global battery market”: Shock over the sharp drop in K-battery share

Este contenido ha sido traducido por IA.

According to market research firm SNE Research, total global electric vehicle (EV) battery usage from January to August 2026 reached 844.2 GWh, a 19.7% year-on-year increase. Usage for the single month of August rose by 14.3% to 116.8 GWh, but the rate of growth slowed. However, Chinese battery companies have taken over the entire top tier, further consolidating their market dominance, while the three domestic battery makers could not avoid a decline in market share.

The combined global market share of seven Chinese firms rose by 3.6 percentage points year-on-year to 73.3%. In contrast, the combined share of the three domestic companies fell by 3.9 percentage points to 12.7%, presenting a stark contrast. CATL maintained its first-place position with a market share of 39.4% on 333.0 GWh, while BYD took second place with 15.1%. Major Chinese players such as CALB and Gotion also recorded high growth in the 30-40% range.

Among domestic companies, LG Energy Solution managed only a slight 0.9% year-on-year increase to 68.3 GWh, maintaining its third-place position. Its market share dropped by 1.5 percentage points from 9.6% to 8.1%. Although usage increased in Europe and Asia, the impact of a 42.3% plunge in North American usage was significant. SK On fell by 14.5% to 24.9 GWh, remaining in eighth place, with its market share shrinking to 2.9%. The main cause is the 41.8% decrease in North American usage due to the end of tax credits in the U.S. market. SK On is currently pushing for business structural improvements, including the restructuring of its joint venture with Ford.

By region, Europe grew by 29.2% and Asia (excluding China) by 76.0%, while the North American market declined by 23.7% due to a demand gap. Battery manufacturers are converting EV production lines for use in energy storage systems (ESS), and battery capacity per EV increased by 11.9% to 39.2 kWh. Experts pointed out that the expansion of overseas production by Chinese firms and policy changes in various countries will be key variables shaking the competitive landscape of the global market. Strategic adjustments across the entire battery industry are now unavoidable.

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Este contenido ha sido traducido por IA.