1Q26–3Q26 global energy storage cell shipment rankings: Shifts amid stability

InfoLink Consulting has released its latest Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database.

According to the latest data from InfoLink’s Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database, global storage cell shipments totaled 747.63 GWh in 1Q26 – 3Q26, up 82.28 % YoY. In Q3, shipments rose 8.59 % QoQ. On a monthly basis, shipments declined slightly after peaking in August due to the consumption tax in China.
 

Market sees a surge followed by a pullback as new factors emerge in the competitive landscape 

In 1Q26 – 3Q26, as mid-tier manufacturers continued to ramp up shipments, market concentration declined further, with CR10 falling to a record low of 81.9 %. The top five global manufacturers were CATL, Hithium, EVE Energy, Cornex, and CALB, with a combined market share ( CR5 ) of nearly 56.5 %.

*Source: InfoLink Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database.

*InfoLink strives to provide comprehensive and complete information. However, in the event of any discrepancies, manufacturers' officially published data shall prevail. InfoLink reserves the right to provide the final interpretation and clarification of its data sources and research findings.

*The content of this article is provided solely as a reference for market analysis and trend assessment, and does not constitute any endorsement, evaluation, investment advice, or commercial guarantee regarding any enterprise.
 

Two key themes in 3Q26: Consumption tax disruptions and new faces

Consumption tax disruptions : In Q3, market shipments surged before pulling back. News that the consumption tax exemption for lithium-ion batteries would expire on September 1 prompted a rush to ship products in August, pushing monthly shipments to their highest level of the year. In September, shipments fell by more than 5 % MoM as demand had been pulled forward. However, based on current production schedules, market shipments are expected to resume growth in Q4.

New faces : Since first entering the global top 10 in 3Q25, Cornex has climbed steadily in the rankings, moving from tenth to ninth, then sixth, and now fourth place, entering the global top five for the first time. Sunwoda has maintained strong shipment growth through its partnerships with major customers such as Sungrow and Huawei, returning to the global top 10 after five quarters.
 

Utility - scale storage shipments grow over 10 % QoQ as Korean manufacturers gradually recover

In 1Q26–3Q26, global utility-scale energy storage cell shipments totaled 650.30 GWh, up 74.79 % YoY. The top five manufacturers in the utility-scale energy storage market were CATL, Hithium, EVE Energy, CALB, and BYD. The top 10 manufacturers remained in broadly the same competitive tiers, with market shares remaining broadly stable across four tiers: above 25%, above 10%, 7%–9%, and 3.5%–5%.

In 3Q26, Korean manufacturers showed clear signs of recovery, with LGES rising to ninth place globally in utility-scale storage cell shipments. Meanwhile, technological competition between Chinese and Korean manufacturers intensified. Korean manufacturers are seeking to compete with their Chinese counterparts through next-generation high-capacity cells. In response to the 310 - format 648 Ah cells already in mass production among leading Chinese manufacturers, LGES quickly followed suit, introducing a cell of similar dimensions just one quarter later, highlighting the increasingly fierce competition.

The 500+ Ah cell segment currently shows a pronounced divide. Leading manufacturers have already begun mass production and achieved large-scale deliveries. In contrast, mid-tier manufacturers are progressing significantly more slowly, with some still at the pilot stage. At the current pace, mid-tier manufacturers may not see significant growth in 500+ Ah cell shipments until 2Q27.

*Source: InfoLink Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database.

*InfoLink strives to provide comprehensive and complete information. However, in the event of any discrepancies, manufacturers' officially published data shall prevail. InfoLink reserves the right to provide the final interpretation and clarification of its data sources and research findings.

*The content of this article is provided solely as a reference for market analysis and trend assessment, and does not constitute any endorsement, evaluation, investment advice, or commercial guarantee regarding any enterprise.

Residential storage market enters an adjustment period as the E.R.G* trio maintains its strong position

In 1Q26 – 3Q26, global residential energy storage cell shipments totaled 91.22 GWh, up 189.62 % YoY. In Q3, shipments fell by more than 15 % QoQ. In terms of the competitive landscape, Great Power topped the rankings for the first time, followed by REPT BATTERO in second place, while EVE Energy slipped to third. The three members of the Emerging Residential-storage Giants (E.R.G) group held very similar market shares, with a combined share exceeding 60% and each taking turns in the lead.

In 3Q26, four major cell formats coexisted in the residential storage market:

•    100 Ah : The previously mainstream format, now with a small amount of production capacity sitting idle.

•    122 Ah : A region-specific cell format being promoted by manufacturers such as Fox ESS to meet the specific needs of the Australian market.

•    314 Ah : A cell format used in both utility-scale and small-scale energy storage applications, with major manufacturers such as Huawei continuing to procure these cells.

•    392 Ah : A higher-capacity format serving as a transitional upgrade from 314 Ah cells, with manufacturers such as Sigenergy already adopting 392 Ah cells in large volumes.

*Note: InfoLink defines EVE Energy, REPT BATTERO, and Great Power as the Emerging Residential-storage Giants (E.R.G). The three manufacturers have strong channel networks and manufacturing expertise in the residential storage cell segment.

*Source: InfoLink Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database.

*InfoLink strives to provide comprehensive and complete information. However, in the event of any discrepancies, manufacturers' officially published data shall prevail. InfoLink reserves the right to provide the final interpretation and clarification of its data sources and research findings.

*The content of this article is provided solely as a reference for market analysis and trend assessment, and does not constitute any endorsement, evaluation, investment advice, or commercial guarantee regarding any enterprise.

Based on current order backlogs and the pace of capacity ramp-up, InfoLink has slightly adjusted its previous forecast for global energy storage cell shipments to 1,043.5 GWh in 2026, with the market maintaining rapid growth. Looking ahead to 2027, InfoLink expects global energy storage cell shipments to reach 1,343.7 GWh, representing YoY growth of nearly 30 %. Meanwhile, key developments to monitor include potential improvements in China's domestic policy environment and progress in securing orders in major markets outside China, particularly India and Europe.