2026-08-04 08:35:20.000 UTC · Battery · Lei Kang · original ↗
CATL leads global ESS battery market with 27.1% share in H1 2026
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CATL maintains market lead, but non-China markets gain share.
CATL (HKEX: 3750) continued to lead the global energy storage system (ESS) battery market in the first half of 2026, though the market's center of gravity is shifting to regions outside China.
Global lithium-ion battery (LiB) ESS shipments reached 461.3 GWh in the first half, up 71% from 269.7 GWh a year earlier, according to data released Monday by South Korean market research firm SNE Research.
CATL shipped 125.0 GWh in the first half, up 81% year-on-year, lifting its market share to 27.1% from 25.6% a year earlier.
Second-placed Eve Energy (SZSE: 300014) shipped 48.0 GWh, up 69% year-on-year, for a 10.4% share.
Hithium ranked third with 46.2 GWh and a 10.0% share. BYD (HKEX: 1211) came fourth with 35.7 GWh and a 7.7% share.
CALB (HKEX: 3931) and Rept Battero Energy (HKEX: 666) shipped 31.5 GWh and 31.4 GWh respectively, each with a 6.8% share.
Cornex followed in seventh place with 30.2 GWh and a 6.5% share.
All seven of those companies are Chinese, and the combined share of the top three rose to 47.5% from 45.8 percent.
The gap among mid-tier players narrowed noticeably, with shipments of the fifth- through seventh-ranked companies separated by only about 1 GWh.
China's Gotion High-tech (SZSE: 002074) shipped 20.8 GWh of ESS batteries in the first half, up 41% year-on-year. That trailed the overall market's growth, and its share slipped 1 percentage point to 4.5 percent.
China's Great Power grew 202% to 20.5 GWh, expanding its share to 4.4% from 2.5 percent.
Among South Korean makers, LG Energy Solution (LGES) shipped 12.0 GWh in the first half, up 357% year-on-year, the highest growth rate among major suppliers. Its share doubled to 2.6% from 1.0 percent.
LGES shipped 6.7 GWh in the second quarter, more than six times the 1.1 GWh it shipped a year earlier.
Samsung SDI shipped 6.4 GWh in the first half, up 20% year-on-year, but its share fell to 1.4% from 2.0 percent.
The two South Korean companies had a combined share of 4.0 percent, still far behind the 47.5% held by China's top three.
By region, China remained the largest market, with shipments of 202.5 GWh in the first half, up 49% year-on-year. Its share, however, fell to 43.9% from 50.5 percent.
Combined shipments of North America, Europe and other regions reached 258.7 GWh, or 56% of the global total, exceeding China for the first time.
Other regions grew the fastest, up 119% year-on-year to 110.1 GWh, with their share rising to 23.9 percent, driven mainly by large projects in the Middle East and Australia.
North America saw shipments of 75.9 GWh, up 83 percent, while Europe recorded 72.7 GWh, up 74 percent.
The shift was especially clear in North America. CATL ranked first with 29.5 GWh and a 38.8% share, while Hithium shipped 13.1 GWh, up 140 percent, lifting its share to 17.2 percent.
LGES shipped 10.3 GWh in North America, with its share jumping to 13.6% from 4.2 percent, ranking third. About 86% of its global shipments in the first half came from North America, and 95% of its North American shipments were for grid applications.
Samsung SDI's shipments in North America grew 16 percent, but its share fell to 6.1% from 9.7 percent. The company supplied 1.6 GWh for AI data centers in the region.
The two South Korean companies' combined share in North America rose to 19.7% from 13.9 percent.
By application, grid storage accounted for 347.0 GWh, or 75.2% of the total, up 69% year-on-year.
CATL held about 30% of that segment, followed by Hithium (13%), Eve (10%), BYD (9%) and CALB (8%).
Residential storage grew the fastest, with shipments rising to 47.7 GWh from 20.9 GWh, a 128% increase, and its share climbing to 10.3% from 7.7% — entering double digits for the first time.
Rept led with a 32% share, followed by Eve at 25% and Great Power at 23 percent.
Commercial and industrial shipments came to 39.6 GWh, up 59% year-on-year. CATL led with a 35% share, followed by Rept at 14 percent.
SNE Research said that as North America and Europe tighten tariffs and supply chain rules on Chinese-made batteries, supply chain stability, local production capacity and regulatory compliance are becoming key criteria in supplier selection alongside price competitiveness.
The firm also said the expansion of AI data centers and rising renewable power generation are driving demand for grid-stabilizing ESS, with cell supply for some products and projects tightening quickly as customers move to lock in volumes early.