China's battery exports reach record high

2025/11/24

According to a Reuters report on November 18, China's exports of batteries and battery energy storage systems reached a record high in 2025, growing by 24% year-on-year in the first nine months of this year.

According to data from the energy think tank "Embers," batteries have generated approximately $60 billion in export revenue for China so far this year. China is a global leader in battery manufacturing and exports, benefiting from the surging global demand for batteries driven by the rapid growth of electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage systems.

As of 2025, 23 countries have each purchased Chinese-made batteries worth $500 million or more, highlighting the unparalleled influence of China's battery companies.

In 2025, Germany was China's largest export market for batteries, with sales reaching $10.5 billion as of September. The United States ranked as China's second-largest battery market ($9.3 billion), followed by Vietnam ($3.6 billion).

Reports indicate that Germany saw its largest annual increase this year in purchases of Chinese batteries, rising by $2.5 billion compared to the same period in 2024.

China's battery exports to the Netherlands, Australia, and India also saw significant year-on-year growth, with imports from these three countries each increasing by more than $1 billion compared to last year in 2025.

From a regional perspective, Europe is China's largest destination for battery exports; as of 2025, Europe accounts for 42% of China's total battery exports. Asia ranks as the second-largest market (with a 26% share), followed by North America (accounting for 17% of the share).

The Middle East and Latin America are the fastest-growing regions in 2025, with growth rates of 107% and 99%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

China's battery exports to Saudi Arabia, the Middle East's largest buyer, nearly quadrupled in 2024, while imports from Chile, Latin America's biggest buyer, surged by 320% compared to 2024.

In 2025, battery imports also saw significant growth in Oceania (led primarily by Australia) and Africa (driven mainly by Nigeria, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Egypt).

Beyond the major markets mentioned above, Chinese battery exporters have also achieved rapid growth in several other countries, which will continue to be targets for battery vendors.

Countries such as Spain, the UAE, Pakistan, Mexico, and the Philippines have all set ambitious targets for solar power generation and electric vehicle sales—both of which rely heavily on batteries.

By 2025, these countries have already spent more than $200 million on battery imports from China, clearly demonstrating that China has established a robust distribution and service network there to further unlock its sales potential.

Greece, Egypt, Italy, Indonesia, and Cambodia are other notable fast-growing markets, each of which has already surpassed $100 million in sales this year.

The United States is one of the very few countries this year where China's battery imports have declined. Caught in a trade war with China, the U.S. has scaled back federal government support for electric vehicles—and is now actively seeking to develop its own battery industry.