China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) increased its share of the global electric vehicle battery market in January, while BYD’s share declined amid weaker vehicle sales in China, according to new industry data.
Global electric vehicle battery usage reached about 71.9 gigawatt-hours in January 2026, representing a 10.7% increase compared with the same month a year earlier, data from South Korean market research firm SNE Research showed.
CATL maintained its position as the world’s largest EV battery supplier. The company recorded battery installations of 32.5 GWh in January, up 25.7% from 25.9 GWh in the same period last year.
The Chinese battery maker supplies a wide range of domestic automakers including Seres, Xiaomi, Li Auto and Geely Auto, and is also a key supplier to global manufacturers such as Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen.
SNE Research noted that CATL is also pushing forward with the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries as part of its efforts to strengthen its position in next-generation battery technologies.
BYD ranked second globally with battery installations of 9.9 GWh in January. Although its global ranking remained unchanged, the figure represented a 1.9% decline from 10.1 GWh a year earlier.
As a result, BYD’s global market share fell to 13.8% in January from 15.6% in January 2025.
SNE Research attributed the decline partly to weaker vehicle sales in China, where BYD deliveries dropped 23.4% during the month. However, the company’s overseas performance improved, with sales rising 69.4% in Europe and 97.6% in other international markets.
South Korea’s major battery manufacturers also lost market share during the period. The combined share of LG Energy Solution, SK On and Samsung SDI fell to about 12%.
LG Energy Solution ranked third globally with 4.7 GWh of battery installations, followed by SK On in seventh place with 2.3 GWh and Samsung SDI in tenth place with 1.6 GWh.
Battery usage for LG Energy Solution declined 14.9% year-on-year, while SK On and Samsung SDI saw declines of 21.3% and 24.4%, respectively.
The drop was largely linked to weaker demand in the United States, where electric vehicle sales fell by about 30.2% compared with the previous year, according to SNE Research.
Samsung SDI supplies batteries to brands including BMW, Audi, Rivian and Land Rover, while SK On provides batteries for automakers such as Hyundai Motor Group, Ford Motor, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. LG Energy Solution’s clients include Tesla, Hyundai, Renault and Volkswagen.
Among other suppliers, China’s CALB ranked fourth with battery installations of 3.8 GWh and a market share of 5.3%, while Japan’s Panasonic placed fifth with 3.1 GWh and a 4.3% share.
China’s Gotion High-tech and Eve Energy ranked sixth and ninth globally, with market shares of 3.9% and 2.4%, respectively.