This week, ternary cathode material prices edged slightly lower, though the overall change remained limited. On the raw material front, cobalt sulfate prices held steady, manganese sulfate saw a modest increase, while nickel sulfate declined slightly. Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide prices also softened. Spot lithium salt prices are currently range-bound, with the future trend still uncertain. Further guidance from overseas supply-side developments remains to be monitored. On transaction activity, payable levels for EV market orders showed no notable changes recently. In the consumer and e-mobility markets, some battery cell manufacturers conducted batch price-linked restocking during this week's period of low-range lithium salt price fluctuations, resulting in slightly more active transaction activity compared to the previous week. On the demand side, the domestic EV market showed modest recovery, though the increase was limited, and manufacturers remain cautious about future production schedules. Demand in the e-mobility market remained relatively subdued, with production still largely based on sales orders and need-based procurement. On overseas orders, after the export rush period ended in April, order volumes declined, though the magnitude of the decline was smaller than previously expected. Based on current conditions, overall industry production in April is still expected to see a certain degree of decrease compared with March.

This week, the market prices for cascade-use B-grade battery cells remained generally stable. Cost side, lithium carbonate prices continued their downward trend, nickel sulphate prices edged down slightly, and only cobalt sulphate prices held firm, with overall cost support weakening. Supply side, battery cell manufacturers maintained a steady shipments pace with no significant increase, and market supply remained relatively stable. Demand side, energy storage continued to be the core market driver, but as procurement standards kept rising, B-grade battery cells, constrained by quality compliance limitations, struggled to enter the mainstream demand market, with A-grade battery cells becoming the absolute procurement preference. Among them, standard energy storage high-demand models such as 314Ah and 280Ah saw tight supply and intense competition for goods, with prices continuing to be pushed higher, while B-grade battery cells, affected by limited compliance space, maintained largely stable prices with no notable fluctuations.

Agratas, the global battery arm of the Tata Group, has reached a major milestone at its Sanand facility in western India by completing the steel framework, bringing the lithium-ion battery plant closer to becoming operational. The company plans to begin production in 2027. In its initial phase, the plant is designed to deliver an annual capacity of 20 GWh. Once operational, it will manufacture advanced battery cells for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

'Agratas', the global battery business of the Tata Group, has completed the steel frame for its battery manufacturing facility in Sanand, India, marking a major milestone toward its 2027 production target. The first phase of the project features an annual production capacity of 20 GWh, focusing on advanced battery cells for electric vehicles and energy storage applications. Executed by Tata Projects Ltd., the massive structure spans 105,000 square meters and utilized over 24,000 tonnes of steel. The company is now pivoting towards developing the necessary systems, processes, and a skilled workforce to deliver world-class batteries to the global market.

At present, battery cell capacity for energy storage in China has entered a state of broad-based undersupply, with order schedules for energy storage battery cells at some top-tier enterprises even extending to the end of Q1 2027. Affected by this supply-demand gap, China’s energy storage battery cell segment is ushering in a new wave of capacity expansion, with many enterprises announcing large-scale expansion plans.

As production order fully resumed after the Chinese New Year, the sodium-ion battery industry chain saw a strong recovery in March. Production across the four major segments—cathode, anode, electrolyte, and battery cell—posted substantial growth both YoY and MoM, with industry prosperity rebounding markedly.