On January 10, 2026, CATL opened $3750 (-2,9%) opened the first and currently largest new facility for the energy aftermarket outside China in the Middle East - the NING SERVICE Experience Center in Riyadh - strengthening its aftersales presence in the Middle East and the region's transformation towards cleaner energy systems.

The opening comes at a time when Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East are driving ambitious electrification and decarbonization targets as part of Vision 2030 and similar national initiatives.

Taking Saudi Arabia as an example, the Kingdom has set a target of converting 30% of all vehicles in Riyadh to electric by 2030 as part of a wider strategy to reduce emissions in the capital by 50%.

Sustainability policy is also driving the switch to electric equipment, for example by promoting the use of electric forklift trucks, while the Saudi Arabian "Green Initiative" supports the use of green electricity in agricultural businesses.

However, progress is being held back by ongoing challenges, including longstanding dependence on oil, soaring electricity demand, extreme climatic conditions and limited charging and service infrastructure.

The Riyadh facility has been strategically designed to overcome these hurdles. It provides comprehensive after-sales support across the entire life cycle, trains local technical experts and accelerates the deployment of advanced electrification and energy storage solutions.

Covering an area of more than 7000 square meters, the center in Riyadh combines exhibition areas, diagnostic and maintenance zones, reconditioning facilities, training rooms and a customer lounge.

It will not only serve as a local service center for the region and a showcase for CATL's system-level capabilities in e-mobility, energy storage and smart electrification, but also as a platform that connects various resources and promotes industrial synergies across the ecosystem.

》A complete lifecycle approach to new energy services《

Backed by CATL's extensive R&D expertise and high-performance manufacturing, the NING SERVICE Experience Center provides full lifecycle customer services including battery diagnosis, repair, maintenance, rework, training, recycling, aftermarket logistics and warehousing.

Its services cover seven major product categories - from passenger and commercial vehicles to energy storage systems - as well as various repair scenarios, setting a new benchmark for the provision of new energy services in the region.

Leveraging CATL's advanced diagnostic and repair expertise and established service processes, the center provides comprehensive after-sales services that help enterprise customers reduce downtime, lower maintenance costs and extend the life of equipment that help enterprise customers reduce downtime, lower maintenance costs and extend the life of equipment.

This creates more planning certainty in terms of long-term performance and residual value, lowers operating costs over the service life and provides end users with more cost-efficient and reliable services.

》Promoting localized operations and competence building《

The center in Riyadh serves as an important platform for CATL's local operations in the Middle East and supports the development of talent and long-term local value creation.

Through dedicated training facilities, CATL builds after-sales and technical expertise in the new energy sector, contributing to skilled employment and knowledge transfer across the Middle East.

NING SERVICE operates 10 training centers worldwide with a total area of 2300 square meters and has certified more than 9700 new energy after-sales service personnel through partnerships with vocational training institutions.

Beyond talent development, CATL is deepening its localization strategy by strengthening local infrastructure and building partnerships in the ecosystem.

CATL is in discussions with high-level local industry players, including fuel network operators, large infrastructure companies and energy companies, to rapidly supply service stations with green electricity, electrify truck fleets and deploy solar and storage solutions.

These initiatives not only strengthen CATL's local service capabilities and market confidence, but also enable CATL to work with key partners to drive the roll-out of comprehensive new energy solutions across the Middle East.

"As a leading energy company in Saudi Arabia, we see tremendous opportunities in the energy transition. For example, we plan to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions at our gas stations and electrify forklifts to reduce dependence on oil. We look forward to working with top companies like CATL to drive this transition," said Ahmed Ibrahim, Deputy General Manager of Procurement at Al Drees, a leading provider of petroleum and logistics services in Saudi Arabia.

"The launch of CATL's flagship site in Riyadh underscores our shared commitment to driving the global energy transition. This milestone not only reflects the growing interest in sustainable solutions in Saudi Arabia, but also represents our shared vision of a cleaner, electrified future. As the investor behind the Experience Center, we are convinced that this partnership will accelerate electrification and strengthen the region's role in the energy transition," said Lin Chaofan, Managing Director of F4S.

》Part of a global network《

The opening in Saudi Arabia builds on CATL's global service presence, which includes more than 1200 professional service stations in 76 countries and 73 spare parts warehouses worldwide.

CATL is the world's number 1 in spare parts warehouses, which are 100% stocked with original parts and have a total storage area of more than 370,000 square meters.

To date, NING SERVICE has supported more than six million electric vehicles and provides professional after-sales services for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and energy storage systems.

》A long-term commitment to the Middle East《

Bruce Li, Head of Quality Management and Aftermarket Business for Battery Management Systems at CATL, said the center in Riyadh reflects a strategic, long-term view of the region.

"Our decision to establish this center in Riyadh is not just a commercial decision, but a long-term commitment. As the first NING SERVICE Experience Center in the Middle East, it is more than a service facility. It is a new ecosystem for the energy aftermarket, bringing together advanced technologies, professional training and industry collaboration, effectively connecting different stakeholders and resources to promote profound synergies and sustainable growth across the region. From here, CATL will continue to expand its customer service network across the Middle East, closely aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and supporting the region's energy transition through a reliable, comprehensive service system," said Li.

Nio Inc$9866 (+5,49%) and CATL $3750 (-2,9%) have signed a new agreement to strengthen their collaboration in the field of long-life batteries and battery back-up networks.

The two companies recently signed a five-year comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement in Hefei, Anhui Province. CATL's founder, chairman and CEO Robin Zeng and Nio's founder, chairman and CEO William Li were present at the signing ceremony.

Both parties will deepen their cooperation in the areas of technology, ecosystem and market expansion to jointly drive technological advancement and business model innovation in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry and help Hefei build a world-class NEV industry cluster, CATL said in a statement today.

The strategic partnership marks a new phase of comprehensive synergies between Nio and CATL, the battery manufacturer said.

Through a systematic, long-term cooperation framework, both parties will jointly drive the transformation of the industry to provide users with safer, more efficient and sustainable electric mobility experiences, CATL said.

This represents a deepening of the relationship between the two companies, as Nio is reportedly increasingly reliant on CATL as a battery supplier.

CATL $3750 (-2,9%) has recorded a strong final spurt in 2025:

In October 2025, the company reported 700 battery exchange stations designed for passenger cars still on the grid.

Just two months later, there are already over 1,000.

CATL has thus achieved its consistently communicated target of 1,000 stations in China by the end of the year.

The pace of expansion is set to increase further by the end of 2026: Specifically, CATL is targeting over 2,500 battery exchange stations in more than 120 Chinese cities by then.

This is likely to include an increasing number of stations built by partners:

CATL had announced that the first 1,000 stations would be built by its subsidiary Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology (CAES) - and stations 1,001 to 10,000 together with partners. In the long term, 30,000 locations are to be created if the business is also expanded to Europe.

Depending on the exchange station, there are currently 14 to 30 batteries in stock, divided between types #20 and #25 at the car stations - with LFP and NMC cell chemistry.

》We remember《

In December 2024, CATL introduced two standardized battery packs as part of its Choco-SEB system.

》Two fixed sizes available《

The 20# pack is designed for small electric vehicles with a wheelbase between 2.2 and 2.3 meters, while the 25# pack is designed for vehicles with a wheelbase of up to 2.9 meters. SEB stands for "Swapping Electric Blocks" and the name "Choco" is intended to evoke the look of a chocolate bar with its individual "blocks".

In addition to the two versions mentioned, there is also a battery pack called 75# for electric trucks, which is a 171 kWh block with LFP cells. This type of battery is now available at 305 exchange stations in China, which were installed by CATL subsidiary Qiji Energy.

The Car News China portal also writes, citing company information, that the stations are compatible with over 95 percent of current truck models in China, "so that vehicles of different brands can change batteries in around five minutes". One to three battery blocks of 171 kWh each can be installed. So a maximum of 513 kWh.

By 2030, Qiji Energy plans to build a nationwide battery swap network for trucks with a coverage of around 180,000 kilometers, covering 80 percent of the truck transport routes in China and 16 major city clusters. Qiji Energy recently opened the first truck route equipped with battery exchange stations on the Sichuan-Chongqing-Hubei section of the expressway between Shanghai and Chengdu. It will cover a good 1,250 kilometers.

Leading electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. $3750 (-2,9%)announced on January 5, 2026 that it had repurchased nearly 16 million of its Shenzhen-listed A-shares on the open market by the end of last year, representing 0.36% of its total outstanding Shenzhen-listed shares.

CATL said it paid between 231.5 yuan and 317.63 yuan per share, representing a total issuance of 4.39 billion yuan (628 million US dollars). The company stated that the shares acquired through the buyback will be used for its stock option programs and employee stock ownership plans.

The company's board approved the plan in April last year, authorizing the use of 4 to 8 billion yuan over a 12-month period for the buyback of its Shenzhen-listed shares through centralized bidding.

On December 28, CATL announces $3750 (-2,9%) announced the official start of mass production at its supplier conference in Ningde (Fujian province).

》The message from the world's largest battery manufacturer is clear《

Sodium-ion batteries are no longer a technology of the future - they are an industrial reality.

》Sodium and lithium in parallel《

CATL describes its battery strategy for 2026 as a dual-star approach: sodium-ion batteries (SIB) and lithium-ion batteries (LIB) will be produced side by side as equal pillars in the future.

The Chinese financial medium Sina quotes CATL as predicting that both technologies will shine together.

》The division of labor is clearly defined《

Sodium will take over the volume segment - entry-level vehicles, battery swap systems and stationary energy storage systems.

Lithium remains the first choice for high-performance applications and maximum range.

This parallel strategy enables CATL to cover the entire range of the market and at the same time reduce its dependence on volatile lithium prices.

》What distinguishes Naxtra from LFP《

The battery series presented in April 2025 under the brand name Naxtra has confirmed the promised performance data in practice.

The energy density reaches 175 Wh/kg at cell level - a value that competes with conventional lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, such as those used in the VW ID.3 or BYD Dolphin.

》The cold weather performance is particularly remarkable《

At -40 degrees Celsius, the Naxtra battery retains around 90 percent of its capacity - a technological breakthrough, as conventional lithium batteries hardly release any energy under these conditions.

This property makes the technology particularly interesting for Nordic markets, high altitudes and industrial applications in cold stores or Arctic regions.

》The service life significantly exceeds that of conventional battery chemistries《

CATL promises more than 10,000 charging cycles. Theoretically, this corresponds to a mileage of up to five million kilometers in a car - or decades of operation in a stationary storage unit.

In combination with the temperature resistance of -40 degrees to +70 degrees Celsius, the result is a product that is designed for extreme operating conditions.

For passenger car applications, CATL specifies a purely electric range of more than 500 kilometers. The fast-charging capability enables a charge level of 80 percent to be reached in around 15 minutes.

》First certification in accordance with GB 38031-2025《

A decisive milestone for industrial acceptance: the Naxtra battery is the world's first sodium-ion product to pass the stricter Chinese safety standard GB 38031-2025.

This national certification comes into force in mid-2026 and sets new standards for electric vehicle batteries.

Among other things, the standard requires extended thermal stability, mechanical stress tests and strict requirements for fast-charging cycle stability.

Independent third-party tests confirm that both the Naxtra cells and the complete battery packs pass all the required safety tests. For industrial customers, this means planning security and a significantly reduced liability risk.

》From city cars to gigawatt storage systems 《

The Naxtra product line comprises two main variants: a complete traction battery for passenger cars and an integrated 24-volt solution for heavy commercial vehicles. The latter combines start-stop function and on-board power supply in one system - a direct response to the requirements of the logistics industry.

》Battery swap systems《

China is investing heavily in swap stations as an alternative to traditional charging. Sodium-ion batteries, with their cold resistance and long service life, are predestined for this application, in which batteries circulate in continuous operation.

》Stationary energy storage《

The 10,000+ cycles and broad temperature tolerance make Naxtra the ideal choice for grid storage, industrial systems and home storage systems. What counts here is not energy density, but lifetime and cost per stored kilowatt hour.

》Heavy-duty commercial vehicles《

FAW Jiefang, one of the largest Chinese truck manufacturers, already relies on the 24V sodium battery. The technology can fully exploit its strengths in heavy-duty traffic with extreme temperature fluctuations and high cycle requirements.

》Car segment《

The joint project AION UT Super by CATL, GAC and JD.com relies on sodium exchangeable batteries. With an entry-level leasing price of 49,900 RMB (around 6,500 euros), the vehicle is aimed at the urban volume segment.

》The price advantage《

Sodium changes the cost structure

The strategic core of the sodium offensive lies in the availability of raw materials: sodium is around 1,000 times more abundant in the earth's crust than lithium. While lithium carbonate prices have shown extreme fluctuations in recent years - from under 30,000 to over 500,000 yuan per tonne - sodium remains stable and cheap as a raw material.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) predicts that the cell costs for sodium batteries could fall to around 40 US dollars per kilowatt hour through scaling.

CATL itself even sees long-term potential in the range of 19 to 20 US dollars per kilowatt hour - a price level that would fundamentally change the economic viability of stationary storage systems.

》For comparison《

According to BloombergNEF, prices for LFP battery packs in stationary storage facilities fell to new lows of around USD 70 per kilowatt hour in 2025 - a drop of 45% compared to the previous year.

Sodium-ion technology has to compete against this already falling price level, but with its longevity and temperature tolerance, it offers advantages that are reflected in the total cost of ownership.

》CATL's battery triad: Naxtra, Shenxing and Freevoy《

Naxtra is part of a comprehensive product offensive with which CATL is addressing various market segments. Parallel to the sodium series, the company has brought two further technologies into mass production.

● The second generation of the Shenxing 2.0 fast-charging battery is based on LFP chemistry and achieves unprecedented values with a 12C charge rate: 520 kilometers of range after just five minutes of charging. The peak charging power is up to 1.3 megawatts. Even at -10 degrees Celsius, the battery charges from 5 to 80 percent in 15 minutes.

● The Freevoy dual-power system combines two different cell chemistries in one battery pack - similar to the concept of redundant engines in aviation. The self-forming anode technology increases the energy density to up to 1,000 Wh/L and enables theoretical ranges of over 1,500 kilometers.

》2026 as the key year of the energy transition《

The Financial Times lists the market launch of CATL Naxtra batteries as one of the "Key tests for climate action in 2026".

Jules Kortenhorst, Co-Chairman of the Energy Transitions Commission, summarizes the current situation: "The energy transition is at a tipping point - not of possibility, but of policy and implementation."

While the Trump administration is threatening to set back climate policy in the USA, technological development in Asia is accelerating.

China has integrated sodium-ion batteries as a strategic technology in its national energy and vehicle strategies. The certification and funding infrastructure is in place.

The question for Europe is how quickly the industry can react to this development.

Volkswagen's PowerCo gigafactory in Germany is scheduled to go into full operation at the beginning of 2026 - albeit with conventional lithium chemistry.

European sodium-ion projects such as those of Faradion (now part of Reliance) or Tiamat are still at earlier stages of development.

》Disruption point in battery technology《

According to the terminology of technology analyst Tony Seba, the industrial rollout of a new technology marks the "disruption point" - the moment at which the old technology is no longer competitive and displacement becomes unstoppable.

For sodium-ion batteries, 2026 could be this turning point.

The technology is no longer dependent on laboratory successes: It is certified, is produced by a company with a 38 percent global market share and has concrete customers in all relevant sectors.

The combination of technical maturity, industrial scaling and falling costs follows exactly the pattern of past technological leaps.

The disruption is less about the premium car market - where lithium remains dominant for the time being - and more about the infrastructure of the energy transition: Grid storage, logistics, industrial applications.

These are precisely the areas where longevity and cost efficiency win out over energy density.

》Conclusion《

Sodium is becoming the second pillar of the battery world.

With the start of Naxtra mass production, CATL is taking the step that the industry has been waiting years for: Sodium-ion batteries are leaving the niche and becoming an equal partner to lithium technology.

The dual-star strategy is not just a marketing platitude, but an industrial reality.

For the energy transition, this means a fundamental expansion of the technological toolbox.

Sodium addresses precisely those applications where lithium reaches its economic or practical limits: Long-term storage, extreme temperatures, continuous operation, etc.

The coming months will show how quickly the announced production capacities will actually be ramped up - and whether the West will find its own response to the Chinese sodium offensive.

Hi folks,

I'm about to make a major strategic change to my portfolio this month. I have cracked the €120,000 mark 🎉 and have taken this as an opportunity to weatherproof my allocation for the coming years.

Here is my roadmap:

1. the tax "life hack": FIFO optimization 💡

I stop my previous core ETFs ($VHVG (+0,05%) , $MEUD (+0,35%) , $EXCH (-0,06%) ) and leave them untouched. Why? In Germany, the FIFO principle (First-In-First-Out) applies. By saving new ISINs from now on (MSCI World ex-USA, NASDAQ 100 & MSCI EM), I "protect" my old shares with the high book profits. Later, I can sell the younger tranches first with less profit and massively defer the tax burden.

2nd core update: USA cap & EM limits 🌍

From now on, my core (approx. 74% of the portfolio) will be re-saved with €280 per month. I love US performance, but don't want any bulk risk:

USA cap: maximum 55% in the core.

Emerging markets: cap at 10%

3. satellite & venture: my high-conviction stocks

This area should make up 20% of my portfolio. Here I invest €400-600 per month in themes that I absolutely believe in. Currently in focus:

Cloudflare ($NET (+1,75%) ): Infrastructure & cybersecurity are the basis of everything for me.

Siemens Energy ($ENR (+2,04%) ): My play on the energy transition and grid expansion.

Hims & Hers ($HIMS) (+1,54%)Exciting disruptor in the telehealth sector.

Tech from the Far East: With Xiaomi ($1810 (+3,51%) ) and CATL ($3750 (-2,9%) ) I cover important future markets.

Coinbase $COIN (+0,53%) complements my direct Bitcoin holdings (target: 3.5% crypto share of the overall portfolio).

Other additional stocks are $NBIS (+7,96%) , $000660 and $RKLB (+2,74%)

4. the big goal: retirement in 2054 🏁 or perhaps even earlier

The math is done: I am aiming for a final capital of around € 780,000 by 2054. With a sustainable withdrawal rate of 4%, this will give me a monthly pension of around €2,600 without having to deplete the capital stock in the long term, thus closing my pension gap. It should be mentioned in the calculation that I calculate with a 5% return per year instead of the expected long-term return of 7-8% and therefore include a safety factor.

The whole thing is rounded off with a 3% share of gold (Euwax Gold II) and 17% bonds as a safety anchor.

What do you think of the FIFO tactic? Do you also use different ISINs for the same market in order to remain flexible in terms of tax, or is that too much "portfolio messing around" for you? 😉 And what do you think of my selection in the venture sector?

CATL $3750 (-2,9%) has entered into a partnership with Chinese electrical appliance manufacturer Shanghai Sieyuan Electric, marking the battery giant's latest advance in the field of energy storage.

The two companies signed a three-year cooperation agreement in the field of energy storage with a target volume of 50 GWh, CATL announced in a press release today.

Both parties will leverage their respective strengths to improve the synergy efficiency of the supply chain and drive high-quality development in the field of energy storage, CATL said.

Over the next three years, the two companies will achieve upstream and downstream supply chain coordination around energy storage systems and supporting equipment such as transmission and distribution facilities, according to the statement.

The two companies will also strengthen technical exchanges and project cooperation to accelerate the large-scale application of energy storage systems in new power grids.

Sieyuan, based in Shanghai, is a company engaged in energy technology research and development and equipment manufacturing. According to its website, the company's turnover in 2024 amounted to RMB 15.5 billion (USD 2.2 billion) and it operated in over 100 countries and regions.

The company employed 9,456 people in 2024 and invested RMB 1.11 billion in research and development.

Sieyuan and CATL first entered into their partnership in 2022. This latest move deepens their cooperation and strengthens synergies in the field of energy storage.

CATL is the world's largest manufacturer of batteries for electric vehicles, with energy storage also being one of its core businesses.

In the first half of 2025, CATL's energy storage systems contributed RMB 28.4 billion to revenue, accounting for 15.87% of the total revenue of RMB 178.9 billion, according to the interim report.

In the same period, the electric vehicle battery segment achieved sales of RMB 131.6 billion, which corresponds to 73.56% of total sales.

...and so I would also like to look back in conclusion...

...after many personal ups and downs this year, everything turned out well after all.

In addition to the idea of getting married, as many people already know, I was torn out of life by cancer in the middle of the year. A long operation, since then a constant fight back to life, always at the limit, but at the end of the year the certainty that things will continue to improve and that I will remain free of cancer.

It's just a shame that the surgery was exactly 2 weeks before my final IHK exam (tax law) on the way to becoming a financial accountant, but postponed is not canceled and so I will tackle this project again in 2026.

But I would like to thank you again for the kind wishes for recovery and encouragement before and after the surgery, you are just meeegggaaa 🫶

But let's move on to the final figures for 2025:

The 28 was then also cracked on the last meters of this year and so overall I am almost in the middle of my 2nd forecast increase 💪🏻

Even if the path to the first 100k still seems a long one, it is the right path and, as we all know, that is the constantly growing goal.

In terms of dividends, I was also right on target and it's hard to believe that these also help to generate further sustainable growth 🤫😅

Now most people will be beating their hands over their heads and singing the performance song, but well, as you know, I approach things a little differently.

That's why I'm looking forward to breaking at least the 2k net dividend in 2026, despite my low volume 🥳

And despite this fact, I don't think the performance is bad at all 🤷🏻‍♂️🤗

》Top 5 of 14《

$3750 (-2,9%) +51,37% (+51,56%)

$HSBA (+1,82%) +35,01% (+39,07%)

$BATS (+1,01%) +34,53% (+91,90%)

$RIO (+1,54%) +20,55% (+28,69%)

$HAUTO (-0,09%) +15,83% (+26,19%)

》Flop 5 of 14《

$1211 (+2,06%) -11,51% (-11,49%)

$YYYY (-0,47%) -5,23% (+1,45%)

$ASWM (-0,25%) -2,36% (-2,36%)

$DTE (+0,83%) -1,70% (-1,70%)

$VAR (+3,52%) -0,80% (+2,65%)

All in all, the long-term view also looks quite reasonable in my opinion...

...so I will continue to stick to my targets and strategy in 2026.

And so there's really nothing left for me to do but thank the entire Getquin team @kundenservice @christian and the entire community...you are simply MEGA 🫶

Wishing everyone a happy new year and everything priceless for 2026 💫🥳

Let's just pick up together in 2026 where we left off in 2025 👋🏻

#gemeinsammehrerreichen

Dear Getquinners,

I would be interested in your opinion again.

I would like to expand my portfolio with a few shares in the long term.

Long-term investment is my goal with good growth (target at least 10-12% annually), dividends are nice but not a must, may also have some risk (of course the position size will be adjusted accordingly).

Which positions would you punch (Austrian for sell🤣) from the existing ones in the portfolio or just add to them?

Stocks that I find interesting as additions:

-Netflix $NFLX (-0,2%)

-Broadcom $AVGO (+1,86%)

-Waste Management $WM (-0,96%)

-Zoetis $ZTS (-1,42%)

-Kawasaki Heavy $7012 (+1,68%)

-Intuitive $ISRG (-2,59%)

-Chipotle $CMG (+0,26%)

-Amgen $AMGN (+0,09%)

-Crowdstrike Hldg $CRWD (-1,07%)

-Vistra Corp $VST (+3,35%)

-Constellation PA $CEG (-1,8%)

-Amphenol $APH (+3,21%)

-Nestle $NESN (-0,67%)

-Monster Beverage $MNST (-0,33%) (I love Monster)

-AMD $AMD (+1,84%)

-Palo Alto Networks $PANW (-0,63%)

-Contemporary Amperex $3750 (-2,9%)

-Albermale $ALB (+5,26%)

-Synopsys $SNPS (+0,99%)

-Taiwan Semiconductor $TSM (+2,25%)

-Datadog $DDOG (+0,64%)

-Itochu $8001 (+1,34%)

-Eaton $ETN (+0,7%)

-Procter&Gamble $PG (+0,84%)

-Pepsico $PEP (+0,69%)

-Coca Cola $KO (-0,1%)

-Hims&Hers $HIMS (+1,54%)

-Kraken Robotics $PNG (+6,09%)

etc.

There are so many interesting titles that you can easily be overwhelmed.^^

At the moment mainly the $VWRL (+0,1%) and $BTC (+0,14%) monthly, share purchases are made when opportunities arise. (Financially and chart-wise).

I look forward to your opinion.

The prices for raw materials used in the production of lithium batteries have risen dramatically within a short space of time, in some cases by more than 100 percent.

This could lead to e-cars, grid storage, smartphone batteries and other devices becoming significantly more expensive.

Last May, the industry information service "Carbon Credits" reported that the supply of lithium was still exceeding demand. The oversupply, which had persisted for some time due to a strong boost in the production of lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium chloride, etc., had led to very low battery prices, among other things.

According to BloombergNEF, the price of lithium-ion batteries fell from USD 166 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in 2022 to USD 115 in 2024.

However, as early as the spring of this year, analyses showed that the ratio would soon reverse and demand for lithium would far exceed supply.

Now the time has come and lithium prices have started to go through the roof.

The price of lithium carbonate, which is needed for the production of battery cathodes, has exceeded 94,000 yuan/ton (USD 13,300), writes " CarNewsChina ", and in November alone the raw material became 16 percent more expensive. According to "Carbon Credits", the price of lithium carbonate in China shot up from the equivalent of just under USD 8260 on June 23 of this year to around USD 13,000 on November 26, an increase of 57 percent.

The price rises are taking place across the industry. Among others, Hunan Yuneng New Energy has announced that it will charge the equivalent of around USD 425 more per tonne in future.

Among others, the company supplies the e-car manufacturer BYD $1211 (+2,06%) and the world's largest manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries CATL $3750 (-2,9%)

And the prices are passed on.

Lithium battery producer Deja Energy, for example, announced that it would be increasing the price of its products by 15 percent from December 16.

》Some prices have already more than doubled《

The prices for some lithium products have already exploded recently.

Lithium hexafluorophosphate, for example, which is used as a conductive salt in liquid electrolytes for batteries, has jumped from 7800 to 17,000 US dollars in just two months, which corresponds to an increase of around 118 percent, writes CarNewsChina. The price of the cathode material lithium cobalt oxide has even risen by more than 150 percent from 19,850 to 49,600 US dollars.

According to "Carbon Credits", the sharp rise in prices is partly due to statements made by the chairman of Ganfeng Lithium, Li Liangbin.

His company is one of the world's four most important lithium groups and covers almost the entire value chain from extraction to the manufacture of specialty products. In mid-November, Li predicted that global demand will increase by 30 to 40 percent by 2026.

》Supply gap threatens to become dangerously large《

In addition to rapidly growing demand for lithium, which is mainly driven by electric vehicles and grid storage systems, a shortage of raw materials is also a price driver. Some Chinese mines stopped production at the beginning of the year due to falling prices.

"Carbon Credits" also points out that global lithium production is concentrated in just a few countries. Australia leads the way with around 60,000 tons per year, followed by Chile (35,000 tons), China (25,000 tons), Argentina (18,000 tons) and the USA (5,000 tons).

Production is likely to increase again as prices rise, according to industry estimates by 10 percent annually. However, the situation could continue to deteriorate dramatically over the next ten years.

Analysts at Katusa Research expect demand to exceed supply by around 1,500 tons in 2026. By 2030 it could be 33,000 tons, and by 2035 a whopping 386,000 tons.

https://www.n-tv.de/technik/Preise-fuer-Lithium-Akkus-koennten-durch-die-Decke-gehen-id30154477.html