EV Battery Usage Grows 34.9% from January to August... Korean Battery Market Share Declines

SNE Research Survey Results

SNE Research, a secondary battery market research firm, announced that from January to August this year, the total battery usage installed in electric vehicles (including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hybrids) registered worldwide reached 691.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh), representing a 34.9% increase compared to the same period last year.

During the same period, the combined global market share for electric vehicle batteries from Korea’s three major battery manufacturers-LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Samsung SDI-fell by 3.8 percentage points year-on-year to 16.8%.

LG Energy Solution maintained third place, achieving 13.3% growth (67.4GWh) compared to the same period last year, while SK On recorded a 20.3% increase (29.2GWh) and ranked fifth. In contrast, Samsung SDI saw a 9.1% decline (20.0GWh), remaining in eighth place.

LG Energy Solution’s batteries were primarily installed in major automakers’ vehicles such as Tesla, Chevrolet, Kia, and Volkswagen. However, as sales of Tesla models equipped with LG Energy Solution batteries declined, the related battery installation volume dropped by 15.8% year-on-year. Nevertheless, strong global sales of the Kia EV3 and increased North American sales of the Chevrolet Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs-models based on the Ultium platform-drove an increase in LG Energy Solution’s battery usage.

SK On’s batteries were mainly supplied to major automakers including Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and Volkswagen. For Hyundai Motor Group, the Ioniq 5 and EV6 accounted for the largest installation volumes. Robust sales of the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.7 contributed positively to SK On’s battery usage. Although sales of the Ford F-150 Lightning, which is equipped with a large-capacity battery, slowed, sales of the Explorer EV were strong.

Samsung SDI had the highest supply share with BMW, followed by Audi and Rivian. BMW is equipping its major electrified models-such as the i4, i5, i7, and iX-with Samsung SDI batteries. The launch of the Rivian Standard Range trim, which uses LFP batteries from China’s Gotion, negatively impacted Samsung SDI’s supply share. In the case of Audi, as sales of the Q6 e-Tron, based on the PPE platform, began in earnest, battery usage increased by 15.9% compared to the same period last year.

Panasonic, which primarily supplies batteries to Tesla, recorded 25.8GWh in battery usage this year, ranking sixth. SNE Research stated, "Panasonic is focusing on reducing its dependence on Chinese materials, expanding local procurement, and securing new materials to strengthen the stability of its battery production," adding, "This strategy will provide an important foundation for recovering usage and maintaining market share in North America in the future."

CATL of China maintained its solid position as the global leader, growing by 31.9% (254.5GWh) compared to the same period last year. Major electric vehicle companies such as Zeekr, AITO, Li Auto, and Xiaomi are adopting CATL batteries. Global automakers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen are also installing CATL batteries in their vehicles.

BYD achieved a 50.3% growth rate (124.8GWh) during the same period, ranking second. BYD is rapidly expanding its presence not only in the Chinese domestic market but also overseas. Its expansion in the European market is particularly notable. In the first half of this year, BYD’s battery usage in Europe reached 8.6GWh, a 263.1% increase compared to the same period last year.

SNE Research commented, "Battery companies now face complex challenges that go beyond simply expanding production; they must also secure regulatory compliance, diversify materials, and pursue sustainable design and recycling strategies. Only companies with technological innovation and flexible business structures are expected to gain a competitive edge in the medium to long term."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.