China recorded 87.2 GWh of EV battery installations in September, according to figures from the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA). The total was 14.7% higher than a year earlier and 10.4% above August, setting a new monthly high for 2026. However, annual growth slowed from 33.5% in July and 26.3% in August, reaching its lowest rate since April.
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries supplied 74.5 GWh, up 19.9% year on year and 10.3% from August. They made up 85.5% of September installations. Ternary battery installations were 12.3 GWh: down 10.9% from a year earlier but up 11.7% month on month. Their share edged up to 14.1% from August’s 14.0%.
For the first nine months of 2026, installations totaled 576.3 GWh, a 16.7% increase year on year. LFP accounted for 477.2 GWh, or 82.8% of the total; ternary batteries contributed 97.9 GWh. CABIA attributed demand growth to expanding commercial new-energy vehicle use and higher battery capacity per vehicle, highlighting electric trucks and special-purpose vehicles.
China’s combined production of power and energy-storage batteries reached 237.8 GWh in September, up 57.3% year on year. Sales totaled 222.7 GWh, while exports reached 44.0 GWh, up 64.5%. Power battery exports rose 60.9% to 28.4 GWh and energy-storage battery exports increased 71.4% to 15.6 GWh. CABIA linked first-three-quarter power battery export growth to rising vehicle exports and the gradual start of production at automakers’ overseas factories.