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中文August 2026 marked several milestones for the lithium battery industry: monthly production scheduling broke through 300GWh for the first time, energy storage officially overtook EV batteries as the largest demand driver, upstream lithium prices kept climbing, and a new battery consumption tax takes effect on September 1 — reshaping the industry’s cost and competitive landscape.
1. August Output Tops 300GWh — Energy Storage Overtakes EV as the Growth Engine
According to a survey of 27 battery makers by BaiChuan Yingfu, China’s lithium battery production scheduling reached 311.85GWh in August, up 5.71% month-on-month and hitting an all-time high. Energy storage cells accounted for roughly 125GWh — more than 40% of total output — overtaking automotive batteries in scale for the first time. The surge is largely driven by concentrated stockpiling for large-scale overseas energy storage projects: markets such as the United States and the Middle East are in peak delivery ahead of year-end grid-connection deadlines, with some manufacturers’ order backlogs extending into mid-October.
2. Lithium Prices Firm Up, Cell Prices Stabilize — A “Rising Volume and Price” Cycle
In late August, battery-grade lithium carbonate crossed the RMB 150,000/MT threshold (averaging RMB 149,000/MT on Aug 19, up about 4.9% week-on-week), while spodumene concentrate climbed to around USD 2,100/MT. With rising upstream costs and strong demand, prices of mainstream 314Ah LFP energy storage cells have rebounded notably from late-2025 lows, and leading manufacturers have successively announced price adjustments. Downstream cell and system prices remain broadly stable for now (314Ah storage cells around RMB 0.36/Wh), but cost pressure is being passed down the supply chain, and further upside cannot be ruled out.
3. Battery Consumption Tax Takes Effect Sept 1 — Energy Storage Systems Explicitly Exempt
From September 1, 2026, lithium primary and lithium-ion batteries are subject to a 2% consumption tax, rising to the statutory 4% on September 1, 2027. Export batteries benefit from a “tax-first, refund-after-export” mechanism, and tax authorities have confirmed that energy storage systems are not subject to the tax. Meanwhile, new technology routes such as sodium-ion and solid-state batteries remain exempt until the end of 2028, an incentive designed to push the industry toward higher-end technology. The industry generally expects the new policy to accelerate the elimination of inefficient capacity, shifting competition from low-price rivalry to high-quality differentiation, with leading players better positioned to absorb or pass on the added cost.
4. Accelerating Globalization: H1 Overseas Orders Reach 298GWh, Up 83% YoY
Data released by CNESA on August 27 shows that Chinese companies signed overseas energy storage orders totaling 298GWh in H1 2026, up 83% year-on-year. Over the same period, Chinese firms’ global shipments of power-storage lithium cells reached 380GWh, with full-year shipments expected to hit 850GWh. Europe remains a key market, while the Middle East, India and Chile are growing rapidly — Chinese energy storage is evolving from product export to full-capability output.
Closing
Surging storage demand, firmer lithium prices and the new tax policy are together pushing the lithium battery industry into a new phase. For buyers, staying ahead of price and supply trends and choosing suppliers with reliable delivery and full regulatory compliance is becoming more important than ever.
