On June 26, 2026, global battery manufacturer CATL launched its online direct-sales platform, CATL Mall, to serve small and medium-sized energy storage integrators seeking small-batch purchases. The platform offers three energy storage cell models—100Ah, 280Ah and 314Ah—with a minimum order quantity of three boxes. Although a 587Ah cell is listed on the site, it is not yet available for purchase. This initiative lowers the entry barrier for smaller customers, moving away from the traditional focus on large-volume contracts.
The rapid growth of distributed residential storage, small commercial and industrial projects, and small-scale photovoltaic-paired systems has driven demand for smaller, more flexible orders. Previously, integrators with modest needs relied on intermediaries to source CATL cells, often encountering higher costs due to multiple markups, variable product quality and delivery delays during tight supply periods. By enabling direct orders from the factory, CATL aims to streamline procurement and improve supply-chain reliability for these clients.
Existing cell distributors and trading intermediaries may see compressed margins as the new direct-to-customer channel reduces their information and allocation advantages. To adapt, these players may shift toward offering value-added services such as warehousing, system design and project operation and maintenance. At the same time, easier access to premium-brand cells could intensify competition among smaller integrators in the distributed storage segment. Large integrators will continue to benefit from long-term contracts, while smaller companies gain more stable access to high-quality cells and the opportunity to compete for projects previously out of reach.
CATL emphasizes that CATL Mall is a supplementary channel targeting “long-tail” demand. Its primary supply focus remains on large-scale storage stations and major overseas projects secured by significant contracts. The platform’s limited product variety and differentiated pricing for small-batch orders help preserve the core large-customer business. According to SNE Research, CATL held a 39.2% share of the global power battery market and a 30.4% share in the energy storage battery segment in 2025. Company executives project that the current revenue mix—roughly 80% power batteries and 20% energy storage batteries—will reach a 50:50 split within three years, with storage potentially becoming the dominant segment thereafter.
Source: CarNewsChina
