Global EV battery usage outside China reached 117.4 GWh in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 17.4% year-over-year increase, according to new data from SNE Research. Despite the overall market growth, Korean battery manufacturers lost ground as Chinese rivals continued to expand aggressively across international markets.
BatteryTech Network · Market Data
Global xEV Battery Demand: A Decade of Growth (excl. China)
Outside China, xEV battery installations grew at a compound annual rate of 47.7% between 2017 and 2025, reaching 464 GWh. Q1 2026 tracking shows continued expansion at 17.4% year over year.
Annual Installations (GWh) · Full Year
Q1 Year-on-Year Comparison (Jan–Mar)
Q1 2025
100.0 GWh cumulative
Key Figures
·
·
From 20 GWh in 2017 to 464 GWh in 2025. Q1 2026 momentum suggests continued growth for the full year.
Source: SNE Research · Global xEV Battery Installment Trend, excl. China · Full-year data 2017–2025, Q1 Jan–Mar · BatteryTech Network · May 2026
BatteryTech Network · Market Data
Global EV Battery Rankings — Q1 2026 (excl. China)
CATL extended its lead in Q1 2026 while Chinese mid-tier manufacturers posted triple-digit growth rates. Total market volume outside China reached 117.4 GWh — up 17.4% year over year.
Rank
Manufacturer
Q1 2025
Q1 2026
YoY
M/S 2026
1
CATL
30.0 GWh
39.7 GWh
+32.0%
33.8%
2
LG Energy Solution
20.4 GWh
20.3 GWh
−0.1%
17.3%
3
BYD
7.0 GWh
11.3 GWh
+60.6%
9.6%
4
Panasonic
8.7 GWh
9.1 GWh
+4.0%
7.7%
5
SK on
10.1 GWh
9.0 GWh
−10.2%
7.7%
6
Samsung SDI
7.4 GWh
5.3 GWh
−27.7%
4.5%
7
Gotion
2.0 GWh
4.1 GWh
+103.2%
3.5%
8
SVOLT
1.7 GWh
3.5 GWh
+103.0%
3.0%
9
CALB
1.6 GWh
2.6 GWh
+63.7%
2.2%
10
AESC
1.4 GWh
2.5 GWh
+72.5%
2.1%
—
Others
9.6 GWh
9.9 GWh
+3.3%
8.4%
—
Total Market
100.0 GWh
117.4 GWh
+17.4%
100%
Source: SNE Research · Annual Cumulative Global EV Battery Usage, excl. China · Q1 (Jan–Mar) 2025 vs. Q1 2026 · BatteryTech Network · May 2026
BatteryTech Network · Market Analysis
EV Battery Market Shifts: Chinese OEMs Advance Outside China
In Q1 2026, Chinese battery manufacturers continued to expand their footprint in markets outside China, while all three major Korean suppliers recorded volume declines or near-zero growth year on year.
▲
Gaining Market Share
Volume growth Q1 2025 → Q1 2026
30.0 → 39.7 GWh · M/S: 30.0% → 33.8%
7.0 → 11.3 GWh · M/S: 7.0% → 9.6%
2.0 → 4.1 GWh · M/S: 2.0% → 3.5%
1.7 → 3.5 GWh · M/S: 1.7% → 3.0%
1.6 → 2.6 GWh · M/S: 1.6% → 2.2%
1.4 → 2.5 GWh · M/S: 1.4% → 2.1%
▼
Losing Ground
Volume decline or flat Q1 2025 → Q1 2026
7.4 → 5.3 GWh · M/S: 7.4% → 4.5%
10.1 → 9.0 GWh · M/S: 10.1% → 7.7%
20.4 → 20.3 GWh · M/S: 20.4% → 17.3%
8.7 → 9.1 GWh · M/S: 8.7% → 7.7%
Key Shift
Chinese OEMs (excl. China)
Combined share (CATL + BYD + Gotion + SVOLT + CALB): 42.3% → 52.1%
Korean Suppliers
Combined share (LG ES + SK on + Samsung SDI): 37.9% → 29.5%
Source: SNE Research · Annual Cumulative Global EV Battery Usage, excl. China · Q1 (Jan–Mar) 2025 vs. Q1 2026 · BatteryTech Network · May 2026
LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Samsung SDI collectively accounted for 29.6% of the non-Chinese global EV battery market, down 8.3 percentage points from a year earlier. Samsung SDI posted the steepest decline, with battery installations falling 27.7%, while SK On dropped 10.2%. LG Energy Solution remained relatively stable with a slight 0.1% decline.
The slowdown was linked to weaker EV demand in North America, where U.S. electric vehicle sales reportedly fell 28.4% year-over-year. Major automakers including Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, and Rivian all experienced softer EV sales, directly impacting battery suppliers.
Chinese battery giant CATL maintained its leading position outside China, recording 39.7 GWh in battery usage, up 32% year-over-year. BYD also continued its rapid international expansion, growing 60.6% to 11.3 GWh as it increased supply partnerships with global automakers including Toyota, Suzuki, Jeep, and Mahindra.
Panasonic posted modest growth of 4% to 9.1 GWh, supported largely by Tesla’s strong Model Y sales. However, the company is accelerating development of next-generation 4680 and 2170 battery cells to reduce dependence on Tesla and strengthen its North American manufacturing base.
SNE Research noted growing regional divergence in the EV battery market, with North America showing weaker demand while Europe and emerging Asian markets continued to expand. In response, Korean battery makers are increasingly diversifying into energy storage systems and data center power infrastructure to reduce exposure to EV market volatility.
Source: SNE Research
