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    CATL

    Also known as Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited

    CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) is a Chinese battery maker founded in 2011 that has been the world's largest supplier of EV batteries for nine consecutive years.[1][2][3] It supplied 39.2% of EV batteries installed worldwide in 2025 and 39.4% in January-August 2026, earned 72.2 billion yuan in net profit in 2025, and in 2026 unveiled the first mass-production sodium-ion passenger car with Changan and began trial production in Hungary.[4][5][6][7][8]

    Editor reviewedUpdated WikiBatteries and energy storage, Energy and climate, Science
    Key facts

    Overview

    CATL was established in 2011.[1] Its businesses span EV batteries, energy storage systems, battery recycling and sodium-ion batteries.[9] The company says it has ranked first in global EV battery usage for nine consecutive years and first in storage battery deliveries for five.[2]

    Market position

    According to SNE Research, CATL installed 464.7 GWh of EV batteries in 2025. That raised its global share from 38.0% to 39.2%.[4] Together with BYD it supplied about 55% of the market. LG Energy Solution was a distant third at 9.2%.[3][10] Worldwide installations reached 1,187 GWh, up 31.7%.[11] Its lead held in 2026. SNE Research put its share at 39.4% for January-August, on 333.0 GWh, with BYD second at 15.1%.[5] CATL’s scale is part of a wider Chinese lead: Chinese producers supplied almost 75% of electric-car batteries in 2025.[12]

    Finances

    For 2025 CATL reported revenue of 423.7 billion yuan, up 17%, net profit of 72.2 billion yuan, up 42%, and battery shipments of 661 GWh, up 39%.[6] Overseas sales made up 30.6% of revenue.[13] In May 2025 it launched a Hong Kong secondary listing aiming to raise 4 to 5.3 billion dollars, in particular for a battery plant in Debrecen, Hungary.[14]

    Growth sped up in 2026. CATL reported first-half revenue of 276.92 billion yuan, up 54.8%, and net profit of 43.28 billion yuan, up 42%. Revenue from energy storage systems rose 87.5% to 53.26 billion yuan.[15] It reported 525 GWh of capacity, 764 GWh under construction and utilisation of about 95%, and overseas sales rose to 31.5% of revenue.[16] All of these figures are self-reported. The IEA notes that CATL kept operating margins of 10-15% from 2020 to 2024 and 18% in 2025, while Korean rivals came under profit pressure. By the IEA’s count, CATL’s 2025 revenue was about 40% larger than that of LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On and Panasonic Energy combined.[17]

    Expansion abroad

    On 22 September 2026 CATL began trial production on the first two cell lines in Debrecen. CATL says the plant will be its largest outside China, at 100 GWh, once complete, but it has not given a date for series production.[8]

    Technology bets

    CATL is scaling up sodium-ion-batteries. Its Naxtra cells reach up to 175 Wh/kg.[18] On 5 February 2026 CATL and Changan unveiled what they called the first mass-production sodium-ion passenger vehicle.[7] In April 2026 it presented a sodium-ion storage cell rated for more than 15,000 cycles.[19] That month it signed a three-year deal to supply 60 GWh of sodium-ion storage batteries to HyperStrong, which it called the largest sodium-ion supply agreement to date.[20]

    Industry context

    CATL operates in a market with more capacity than demand. Global nameplate lithium-ion cell capacity passed 4 terawatt-hours at the end of 2025, while EV battery deployment that year was 1.2 terawatt-hours.[21][22] BloombergNEF links overcapacity and intense competition to the 8% fall in average pack prices in 2025, to 108 dollars per kilowatt-hour.[23][24] Despite that pressure, CATL’s net profit rose 42% in 2025.[6] Chinese policy is now leaning against overbuilding: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence reported that in the third quarter of 2026 the government paused approvals of new storage cell capacity, and later EV cell capacity.[25]

    Policy exposure

    US policy targets Chinese battery content. Tax-credit rules penalise battery content from prohibited foreign entities, a category that covers entities controlled from China.[26][27] US tariffs on Chinese non-EV lithium-ion batteries rose to 25% in January 2026.[28] Its Korean and Japanese rivals rely on US support instead: the IEA notes reports that LG Energy Solution and Panasonic Energy would have had negative operating margins in 2024 without US production tax credits.[29] See the supply chain debate.

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    Questions readers ask

    How big is CATL?

    In 2025 it shipped 661 GWh of batteries, reported revenue of 423.7 billion yuan and net profit of 72.2 billion yuan.[6]

    What share of the EV battery market does CATL have?

    According to SNE Research, 39.2% of global EV battery installations in 2025, up from 38.0% in 2024.[4]

    Does CATL make sodium-ion batteries?

    Yes. Its Naxtra sodium-ion cells reach up to 175 Wh/kg and went into a Changan mass-production car unveiled in February 2026.[18][7]

    Who are CATL's main rivals?

    BYD was second in 2025 with 16.4% of EV battery installations, and LG Energy Solution third with 9.2%.[3][10]

    Sources

    · 31 claims from 14 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) was established in 2011. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    2. [2]

      CATL says it has ranked first globally in EV battery usage for nine consecutive years and first in storage battery deliveries for five consecutive years. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    3. [3]

      CATL and BYD together supplied about 55% of the global EV battery market in 2025; BYD's share dipped from 16.9% to 16.4%. reportedas of 2026-02-04

    4. [4]

      According to SNE Research, CATL's share of global EV battery installations rose from 38.0% in 2024 to 39.2% in 2025, on 464.7 gigawatt-hours. confirmedas of 2026-02-04

    5. [5]

      SNE Research counted 844.2 gigawatt-hours of EV battery installations worldwide in January-August 2026, up 19.7%; CATL led with 333.0 GWh (a 39.4% share) and BYD was second with 127.9 GWh (15.1%). reportedas of 2026-10-02

    6. [6]

      CATL reported 2025 revenue of 423.7 billion yuan (up 17%), net profit of 72.2 billion yuan (up 42%) and battery shipments of 661 GWh (up 39%). confirmedas of 2026-03-10

    7. [7]

      On 5 February 2026 CATL and Changan unveiled what they called the world's first mass-production sodium-ion passenger vehicle, due on the market by mid-2026. confirmedas of 2026-02-05

    8. [8]

      On 22 September 2026 CATL began trial production on the first two cell lines of its factory in Debrecen, Hungary, which it says will be its largest manufacturing base outside China at 100 GWh once complete; it gave no date for series production. confirmedas of 2026-09-22

    9. [9]

      CATL's businesses span EV batteries, energy storage systems, battery recycling and sodium-ion batteries. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    10. [10]

      LG Energy Solution was the third-largest EV battery supplier in 2025 with 108.8 gigawatt-hours, a 9.2% share. reportedas of 2026-02-04

    11. [11]

      SNE Research counted 1,187 gigawatt-hours of EV battery installations worldwide in 2025, up 31.7% from 2024. reportedas of 2026-02-04

    12. [12]

      Chinese producers supplied almost 75% of the batteries deployed in electric cars worldwide in 2025. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    13. [13]

      Overseas sales made up 30.6% of CATL's 2025 revenue. reportedas of 2026-03-10

    14. [14]

      In May 2025 CATL launched a Hong Kong secondary listing aiming to raise 4 to 5.3 billion US dollars, in particular to fund a battery plant in Debrecen, Hungary. confirmedas of 2025-05-13

    15. [15]

      CATL reported (self-reported) first-half 2026 revenue of 276.92 billion yuan, up 54.8%, and net profit of 43.28 billion yuan, up 42%; revenue from energy storage systems rose 87.5% to 53.26 billion yuan. confirmedas of 2026-07-24

    16. [16]

      CATL reported 525 GWh of battery capacity and 764 GWh under construction at mid-2026, first-half output of 498 GWh at 94.86% utilisation, and overseas revenue equal to 31.5% of sales. reportedas of 2026-07-27

    17. [17]

      The IEA says CATL kept operating margins of 10-15% each year from 2020 to 2024 and 18% in 2025, while Korean producers came under sustained profit pressure, and that CATL's 2025 revenue was roughly 40% larger than that of LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On and Panasonic Energy combined. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    18. [18]

      CATL's Naxtra sodium-ion battery reaches up to 175 Wh/kg, which CATL calls the benchmark for mass production, and gives a pure-electric range above 400 km. confirmedas of 2026-02-05

    19. [19]

      In April 2026 CATL presented a sodium-ion cell for stationary storage with about 160 Wh/kg and more than 15,000 cycles to 80% capacity, expected in commercial deployment within 2026. reportedas of 2026-04-20

    20. [20]

      On 27 April 2026 CATL and energy storage integrator HyperStrong signed a three-year agreement for 60 GWh of sodium-ion batteries for energy storage, which both CATL and press reports called the largest sodium-ion supply deal to date. confirmedas of 2026-05-06

    21. [21]

      Global nameplate lithium-ion battery manufacturing capacity exceeded 4 terawatt-hours by the end of 2025, up roughly 30% from 2024. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    22. [22]

      EV battery deployment reached 1.2 terawatt-hours in 2025, almost 30% more than in 2024. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    23. [23]

      BloombergNEF attributed 2025 price falls to cell manufacturing overcapacity, intense competition and the shift to lower-cost LFP batteries, despite higher battery metal costs. confirmedas of 2025-12-09

    24. [24]

      BloombergNEF's 2025 survey found average lithium-ion battery pack prices fell 8% from 2024 to a record low of 108 US dollars per kilowatt-hour. confirmedas of 2025-12-09

    25. [25]

      Benchmark Mineral Intelligence reported that in the third quarter of 2026 the Chinese government paused approvals of new energy storage cell capacity expansions, and later of EV cell expansions, which together with market rumours helped push lithium prices down at the end of the quarter. reportedas of 2026-10-02

    26. [26]

      The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted on 4 July 2025, added prohibited foreign entity rules that restrict access to the 48E investment, 45Y production and 45X manufacturing tax credits, including for battery storage. confirmedas of 2026-07-16

    27. [27]

      For energy storage projects starting construction in 2026, at least 55% of direct costs must come from non-prohibited foreign entities, a threshold that rises to 75% by 2030. confirmedas of 2026-07-16

    28. [28]

      Under Section 301 tariff increases finalised in September 2024, US tariffs on Chinese lithium-ion EV batteries rose to 25% in 2024, and tariffs on non-EV lithium-ion batteries and natural graphite rose to 25% from 1 January 2026. confirmedas of 2024-09-24

    29. [29]

      The IEA notes reports that LG Energy Solution and Panasonic Energy would have had negative operating margins in 2024 without US production tax credits. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    30. [30]

      Lithium prices at the start of 2026 were more than twice their level a year earlier, and cobalt prices also doubled over the year. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    31. [31]

      The IEA reports that Toyota plans its first all-solid-state battery vehicle by 2028, and BYD plans to sell its first all-solid-state EV from 2027 with mass production from 2030. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    Revision history (2)
    1. Added first-half 2026 results, January-August 2026 market share, the Debrecen trial production, the HyperStrong sodium-ion deal, IEA margin comparisons and the 2026 capacity-approval pause.
    2. Page created.

    Created Oct 10, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 10, 2026. Next scheduled review: Jan 10, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "CATL." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/wiki/catl

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

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    Sodium-ion batteries ProducesBattery recycling Recycles batteries (see)Battery critical mi… Exposed to supply ofSolid-state batteri… Rival technology
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