SHANGHAI: Demand for Chinese lithium batteries will likely slump in early 2026 due to an expected tumble in domestic electric vehicle (EV) sales and slowing battery exports, the secretary general of China’s passenger car association says. China is the global leader in battery technology manufacturing and exports, and is benefitting from a worldwide boom in demand for batteries used in EVs and power networks. A big drop in demand will hurt battery makers including Contemporary ‍Amperex Technology Ltd and ‍EVE Energy. China’s lithium battery exports to the European Union, its biggest overseas market, rose 4% in 2025 from a year ago, while exports to the United States tumbled 9.5%. The drop in US-bound exports suggests rising demand for energy storage from the US artificial intelligence boom is not lifting demand for Chinese batteries, Cui said.

Source: The Star December 30, 2025 11:40 UTC