Which companies control the lithium ion battery supply chain?

The lithium ion battery is now central to the fortunes of the auto industry and energy transition, with demand forecast to exceed one terawatt hour (TWh) this year, according to Benchmark’s Lithium ion Battery Database, rising from just 74 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2015.

This growing industrial role has meant political attention for the technology has risen too, with Western governments seeking to develop domestic supply chains independent of China, which dominates the industry.

At the centre of the expansion in production have been the producers ramping up capacity from raw material production through to gigafactory lines. Using Benchmark’s proprietary data, this infographic outlines the leading producers at each stage of the lithium ion battery supply chain.

Key insights from Benchmark’s Top 5 Producer infographic

1. Battery producer CATL has the largest market share of any company across the supply chain

2. The cathode market is highly competitive

3. Chinese companies play a vital role across the supply chain, but dominate midstream and cell production

4. Western companies play a bigger role in the upstream

5. The Raw Material Disconnect: Investment is needed across the supply chain but especially upstream

To learn more about Benchmark’s EV and lithium ion battery supply chain data fill in the form below and our team will be in touch.