In January, global electric vehicle (EV) battery usage outside China reached 32.7 gigawatt-hours (GWh), marking a 13.7% increase compared to the same month last year, according to data published March 10 by market research firm SNE Research. Despite the overall growth, South Korea’s three leading battery suppliers—LG Energy Solution, SK On and Samsung SDI—each recorded declines in installed capacity and saw their combined share of this market fall to 25.5%, down 10.4 percentage points year-over-year.
LG Energy Solution delivered 4.4 GWh in January, a 16.2% decrease from the prior year, placing it second in monthly rankings. SK On installed 2.3 GWh (down 21.3%), ranking fifth, while Samsung SDI contributed 1.6 GWh (down 24.4%), ranking sixth.
Chinese battery manufacturers continued to capture the highest usage volumes outside their domestic market. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) led global installations with 11.2 GWh, up 26.5% year-over-year. BYD secured third place with 3.7 GWh, an 86.0% jump. SNE Research attributed these gains to a strategic emphasis on expanding production and sales in overseas markets rather than focusing solely on China. In January, BYD’s battery usage in Europe rose by 69.4%, and in other regions by 97.6%, despite a 23.4% decline in China.
SNE Research analysts observed that Chinese battery makers are likely to continue growing their share in non-China markets, driven by automakers’ efforts to diversify supply chains and intensify price competition. As global EV adoption accelerates, these factors are reshaping competitive dynamics, challenging established players from South Korea and elsewhere.
Source: Business Korea
