Xinyi Lin

CATL became the largest shareholder in Qiyuan Green Power, China’s largest heavy-duty truck battery swapping network operator. CATL bought the entirety of the 24.87% stake held by China Power, a subsidiary of the State Power Investment Corporation for RMB2.6 billion (USD380 million). This raised CATL’s total stake to around 30%. The move helps CATL to secure Qiyuan’s battery swapping infrastructure. Qiyuan currently leads the market with over 1,800 stations nationwide, giving it a market share of over 70% across various heavy-truck settings, including mining zones. Combined with CATL’s own QIJI Energy battery swapping network, this move makes the company China’s largest heavy-duty battery swapping operator.

Across July and August 2026, the EV charger industry experienced a rare wave of price hikes ranging from 10%–30%, driven by cost pressures passing down the supply chain. “This price wave is a defensive move against soaring material costs, semiconductor shortages, and rising compliance expenses,” said Xinyi Lin, a senior EV charging analyst at Benchmark. “As raw material prices remain high, downstream charging network operators must prepare for higher equipment costs and squeezed margins in the near term.” In 2025, over 4.4 million chargers were installed in China, with 5 million units forecast to be installed this year according to Benchmark’s EV Charging Service.

EV charging density offers a key metric to compare countries’ charging networks, with a lower EV-to-charger ratio indicating a more accessible charging experience for drivers. However, understanding regional demographics, housing patterns, and grid infrastructure is also essential when comparing different markets. Europe and North America The Netherlands has the lowest EV-to-charger ratio, reflecting exceptionally dense ...