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From Jan to Feb 2026, Global[1] EV Battery Usage[2] Posted 135GWh, a 4.4% YoY Growth


- From Jan to Feb 2026, K-trio’s M/S recorded 15.0%, a 2.2%p YoY decline      

 

From Jan to Feb 2026, the amount of energy held by batteries for electric vehicles (EV, PHEV, HEV) registered worldwide was approximately 134.9GWh, a 4.4% YoY growth.





(Source: 2026 Mar Global Monthly EV and Battery Monthly Tracker, SNE Research)

 

The combined market shares of LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Samsung SDI in global electric vehicle battery usage from Jan to Feb 2026 posted 15.0%, a 2.2%p decline from the same period last year. All three major companies experienced negative growth: LG Energy Solution decreased by 2.7%(11.8GWh), SK On by 12.9%(5.2GWh), and Samsung SDI by 21.9%(3.3GWh) year-on-year. This is analyzed to be primarily driven by a 29.8% plunge in EV sales in the U.S. market. This is analyzed as a result of the slowdown in electric vehicle sales by major automakers leading to a decrease in battery usage. Conversely, in the global market, certain Chinese battery manufacturers, led by CATL, continue to expand their market share, causing the relative standing of South Korean companies to further diminish.





(Source: 2026 Mar Global Monthly EV and Battery Monthly Tracker, SNE Research)

 

 

Examining the battery usage of the three major Korean manufacturers based on electric vehicle (EV) sales, Samsung SDI maintained its highest supply proportions with BMW, Audi, and Rivian, in that order. However, as EV sales slowed across its primary customer base, Samsung SDI's total battery installation volume saw a decline. In particular, for customers with high dependency on the North American market—such as Rivian and Jeep—the direct impact of falling U.S. electric vehicle sales led to an even sharper decrease in battery usage. BMW saw reduced installations as sales declined across its core electrified lineup, including the i4, i5, i7, and iX. Meanwhile, Audi's sales remained sluggish despite the launch of the Q6 e-tron. Furthermore, the introduction of the Q6 e-tron created a cannibalization effect, reducing sales of the existing Q8 e-tron, which ultimately contributed to the overall drop in battery installation volume.


SK On’s batteries were primarily installed in major vehicles from Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and Volkswagen. In the case of Hyundai Motor Group, battery installation volume increased, driven by stable sales of the IONIQ 5 and the launch effect of the new IONIQ 9. However, slowing EV sales across other key customers, including Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, led to an overall decline in total installations. Ford, in particular, saw a sharp drop in sales due to the production halt of the F-150 Lightning, which served as a major factor in the decrease of SK On's battery usage. This decline was further exacerbated by the broader slowdown in EV demand within the U.S. market. Volkswagen also contributed to the contraction, with a notable decrease in ID.4 sales. While some specific car models and new releases showed growth, these gains were too limited to reverse the overall downward trend.


LG Energy Solution’s batteries were primarily featured in major vehicles from Tesla, Chevrolet, Kia, and Volkswagen. For Tesla, battery installation volume saw a significant boost, driven by strong sales of the Model Y. Kia also saw an increase in battery usage following the launch of new models like the EV4 and expanded sales of existing vehicle types. Additionally, Renault and Skoda exhibited growth trends as sales for their flagship electric models rose. However, slowing EV sales among major clients such as Chevrolet, Ford, and Volkswagen put downward pressure on total battery usage. Notably, Chevrolet and Ford experienced a prominent decline in key EV model sales, while Volkswagen saw a sharp drop in installations as sluggish sales continued, particularly for the ID.4. As a result, LG Energy Solution’s overall battery usage recorded a slight decrease compared to the same period last year.


Panasonic, which maintains a high supply proportion to Tesla, recorded 5.3GWh in battery usage during January and February 2026, marking a 2.7% increase compared to the same period last year. While sales of the Model Y, a key customer model, showed prominent growth, sales for the Model 3, Model S, and Model X declined, signaling a shift in the demand structure across different vehicle types. In particular, with the production halt of the Model S and Model X now confirmed, a decrease in battery demand due to the scaling back of the high-end lineup appears inevitable. Amidst these trends, Panasonic is focusing on developing next-generation 4680 and 2170 cells and improving North American production efficiency to reduce its heavy reliance on Tesla. These strategic moves are expected to buffer the risks associated with Tesla’s expanding in-house battery production and contribute to maintaining Panasonic's mid-to-long-term market share in North America.


China's CATL maintained its global number one position, recording 56.9GWh in the first two months of 2026, a 13.7% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth was primarily driven by a significant surge in battery installations for major Chinese OEMs, including SERES, Li Auto, NIO, and ZEEKR. Notably, SERES saw a rapid spike in installations fueled by expanding sales of the AITO series, while Li Auto and NIO also posted high growth rates thanks to the impact of new model launches. In contrast, battery usage for Tesla saw a slight decrease, affected by falling sales of the Model 3. Meanwhile, CATL continued to diversify its customer portfolio by expanding its supply to global automakers such as Toyota, Kia, and Skoda. This trend indicates that CATL is successfully reducing its reliance on the Chinese domestic market while further solidifying its dominance in the global arena.


BYD recorded 18.1GWh in January and February 2026, a 12.5% decrease compared to the same period last year, yet it managed to maintain its position as global number two. The significant drop in battery usage was primarily driven by a decline in domestic Chinese sales of its own BYD brand vehicles. Conversely, battery installation volume surged for certain customers and new brands, such as Xiaomi and Fangchengbao, due to their expanding sales. Growth was also observed among some commercial vehicle and overseas clients, including XCMG and Mahindra & Mahindra; however, the ongoing sluggish performance of major customers like Xpeng, Denza, and NIO was insufficient to offset the overall downward trend. This pattern demonstrates that while BYD is pursuing customer diversification, it remains highly susceptible to volatility in its own EV sales due to a structural reliance on internal demand.

 

 


(Source: 2026 Mar Global Monthly EV and Battery Monthly Tracker, SNE Research)​

 

The global EV battery market in January and February 2026 suggests that the industry has moved beyond a simple growth phase and entered a structural transition period, characterized by divergent trends across different regions and OEMs. While the Chinese and North American markets are experiencing slowdowns or declines, growth in Europe, Asia (excluding China), and other emerging markets is driving global demand, clearly shifting the market's center of gravity toward a more diversified axis. These shifts are directly reflected in battery demand; consequently, manufacturers with a high dependency on specific regions are seeing increased volatility in their performance.

 

By manufacturer, CATL further strengthened its market dominance by securing both Chinese OEMs and global automakers simultaneously, while BYD experienced increased volatility due to a decline in its own internal demand. Panasonic maintained a stable trend despite its Tesla-centric structure, though the impact of upcoming shifts in vehicle portfolios appears inevitable. Meanwhile, the three Korean battery manufacturers saw their market shares decline as they were directly impacted by the EV sales slowdown among their customer base, which is heavily dependent on the North American market.

 

Consequently, the future battery market is expected to move beyond simple EV sales growth; instead, supply chain diversification in response to regional demand shifts and the expansion of customer portfolios will emerge as key competitive factors. In particular, expanding cooperation with global OEMs, entering new markets, and implementing strategic product-mix responses will likely determine the mid-to-long-term competitiveness of battery manufacturers.

 

 

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[1] The xEV sales of 80 countries are aggregated.

[2] Based on battery installation for xEV registered during the relevant period 

 

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