[SMM Analysis: July Electrolyte Production Continues to Grow, NEV and ESS Demand Buoys the Industry] In July 2026, both the supply and demand sides of the electrolyte industry expanded simultaneously, with market sentiment steadily improving. Data showed that China's monthly electrolyte production was up about 6.3% MoM and approximately 80% YoY.

The global automotive industry is accelerating its low-carbon and intelligent transformation, with China's automotive industry shifting from scale advantage to dual leadership in technology and supply chain. In 2025, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China exceeded 50%, driving upgrades in automotive materials such as aluminum, steel, and magnesium, and triggering a surge in demand for lightweight new materials. Coupled with the implementation of the EU carbon tariff, the low-carbon transformation of the industry chain is imminent. Coinciding with the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the deepening of dual carbon goals, the industry urgently needs a professional platform to address material technology challenges. Against this backdrop, will be held on September 10-11, 2026 in Shanghai . SMM , in collaboration with Ningbo Dexin Technology Co., Ltd. , sincerely invites industry colleagues to participate, driving the automotive supply chain toward a deep evolution in green, lightweight, intelligent, and global directions. Click to to Attend. We look forward to meeting you at the conference. Ningbo Dexin Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in September 2016. It is a high-tech enterprise focusing on the R&D, production, and sales of magnesium-aluminum alloy materials, dedicated to providing lightweight, high-performance magnesium alloy products and solutions for sectors such as automotive, robotics, energy storage, aerospace, and electronic information. The company has factories in Ningbo, Huizhou, Chongqing, and other locations. It possesses advanced production lines for magnesium alloy semi-solid injection molding (15 units ranging from 350T to 3200T), CNC machining, surface treatment (passivation, painting, powder coating, micro-arc oxidation, electrophoretic coating, etc.), and assembly, along with a comprehensive IATF 16949 quality management system, ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system, and ISO 14001 environmental management system, capable of meeting lightweighting needs across various fields. Contact Mr. Li 153 5608 7997 SMM Conference Contact Sun Lingchen 151 6685 2590 sunlingchen@smm.cn

According to data from China Auto Data Research, in July 2026, China's wholesale sales of passenger NEVs reached 1.47 million units, up 23% YoY and edging down 1% MoM. Against the backdrop of an overall auto market under pressure and contracting, new energy vehicles have become the core growth highlight of China's passenger vehicle market.

In the second quarter, domestic lithium carbonate prices experienced a V-shaped rebound and then traded in a high-range volatile pattern. The market maintained a tight balance between supply disruptions and resilient demand, with price sensitivity notably heightened. I. Market Performance: Wide Fluctuations with Rising Price Sensitivity In April, prices first fell then rose: early in the month, geopolitical disturbances in the Middle East dragged battery-grade lithium carbonate down to 155,500 yuan/ton; by mid-to-late April, Zimbabwe’s export ban, mining permit renewals in Jiangxi, and rising costs pushed prices back up, ending the month at 177,000 yuan/ton. The monthly average price rose 6% month-on-month. In May, prices trended upward with a monthly average increase of 12%, and the futures main contract briefly broke through RMB 200,000/ton, as time mismatches between supply and demand persisted. In June, record-high import volumes and GFEX stocks remaining at 50,000 tons, combined with fully priced-in demand expectations, pulled the price center lower. Downstream buyers accumulated large inventories at levels below 160,000 yuan/ton. II. Policy Environment: Dual Drivers from Mandatory Recycling Rules and Rigid Energy Storage Targets On April 1, the Interim Measures for the Management of Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Power Batteries from New Energy Vehicles took effect, mandating "integrated vehicle-battery scrap page" and requiring a lithium recovery rate of no less than 85%. This shifts recycling from "encouragement and guidance" to "mandatory compliance," boosting long-term resource circularity. On June 25, the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Construction of a New Energy System set a target of 300 GW of new energy storage installed capacity by 2030, representing over 120% cumulative growth in five years. This elevates energy storage from "optional" to "essential," providing rigid support for lithium demand. III. Supply Side: Steady Release with Structural Disruptions Domestic production maintained a stable pace in Q2, with salt lake ramp-ups and recycling additions pushing monthly output above 107,000 tons and edging higher. External disruptions such as Zimbabwe’s export ban did not significantly impact production, as companies held ample raw material inventories. The inventory pattern shifted from "demand-driven destocking" to "structural volatility underprice bargaining". A declining proportion of long-term contracts exacerbated spot-market fluctuations, with upstream producers firm on prices and downstream buyers cautious in procurement, while traders became the primary buffer. The market entered a high-price-sensitivity tight-balance state. Conclusions In Q2, lithium carbonate prices first rose then corrected, supported by supply disruptions and high production schedules, while record imports and warehouse receipt pressure weighed on June prices. On the policy front, new recycling rules and energy storage targets provide medium-to-long-term support. Supply growth remained relatively stable but with frequent disturbances, and upstream-downstream bargaining deepened. In the short term, the market remains in a high-level tight balance.

[SMM Magnesium Express]Chenzhi Light Quantization partnered with Changan Automobile to establish a joint project team, launching an industrialization project for magnesium alloy in new energy vehicles. Together, they aim to build a smart manufacturing base for magnesium alloy components, integrating R&D, trial production, manufacturing, and validation. The project focuses on magnesium alloy electric drive housings while advancing the large-scale production of body structural parts such as rear floors and back door inner panels, creating a closed-loop supply chain from R&D to mass production. With deep collaboration between leading automakers and lightweight material suppliers, the widespread application of magnesium alloy in core components for new energy vehicles is expected to accelerate further.

On July 30, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued Announcement No. 20 of 2026, officially repealing all provisions related to "echelon utilization" under the Industry Norm Conditions for Comprehensive Utilization of Spent Power Batteries from New Energy Vehicles (2024 Edition), and removing all 100 previously certified "echelon utilization" enterprises from the list of compliant entities.

[SMM Magnesium Express]Recently, Hefei Qixing Light Metal Technology Co., Ltd. invested a total of 453 million yuan in a project to produce 50,000 tons of lightweight magnesium alloy ingots annually, which has been established in Chaohu, Anhui. The project involves the construction of modern workshops and an intelligent smelting system, aiming to fill the local gap in high-end magnesium alloy materials and meet the stable supply demand for high-quality magnesium alloy raw materials required for large-scale integrated die-casting applications such as battery trays and electric drive housings in new energy vehicles. With the project's commencement, the local magnesium alloy industry chain's supporting capacity is expected to further strengthen.

[SMM Tin Morning Update: Dollar Pullback Hedges Pre-NFP Rate Hike Pricing, Battle for the 430,000 Mark Begins]

[SMM Magnesium Express]Yesterday, according to Chongqing Daily, the Chongqing Hub Port Industrial Park achieved breakthroughs in the field of magnesium alloy automotive lightweighting. The park's enterprises successfully mass-produced 5,000 tons of magnesium alloy TPI semi-solid injection molding body structure mold, effectively enhancing the regional automotive lightweight manufacturing process level. In the first half of the year, the output value of large-scale automotive component enterprises in the park exceeded 2.2 billion yuan, with nearly 950 million yuan worth of products deeply supporting leading intelligent connected new energy vehicle enterprises such as Changan and Seres. As the mass production process of large magnesium alloy structural components becomes increasingly mature, its large-scale application in the new energy vehicle sector is expected to further accelerate.

In 2026, marking the official start of the "15th Five-Year Plan," the conductor cable and electrical material industry entered a critical period of transformation and upgrading. Driven by the dual-carbon strategy, new power system construction, energy transition, and AI technology empowerment, sectors such as ultra-high voltage, new energy, computing centers, and new energy vehicles (NEVs) developed rapidly, effectively boosting market demand for high-end copper and aluminum conductors and cable materials. The industry faced both opportunities and challenges: tight supply of copper and aluminum raw materials, significant price fluctuations, coupled with geopolitical trade and cost volatility, led to mounting operational and supply chain pressures for enterprises and intensified industry competition. Meanwhile, the accelerated application of aluminum as a substitute for copper, new copper-aluminum composite materials, smart manufacturing, and green low-carbon technologies continuously drove quality improvement and upgrading across the industry. Against this backdrop, Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) will hold the 2026 SMM (11th) Conductor and Cable Industry Exhibition and Electrical Material Industry Annual Conference in Yixing, Jiangsu on , bringing together resources from the entire industry chain to build a professional and efficient platform for cooperation and exchange. SMM , in collaboration with Jiangsu Daoming Chemical Co., Ltd. , invites industry colleagues to participate in the conference, jointly helping enterprises break through development bottlenecks and promoting high-quality industry transformation. Click on the to register for the conference immediately. We look forward to meeting you there. Daoming DCP, the trusted choice of wire and cable manufacturers worldwide! Jiangsu Daoming Chemical Co., Ltd. , established in March 2012, was invested in by Shanghai Xintianhe Industrial Co., Ltd. The company is located at No. 168 Jianghai Road, Binjiang Fine Chemical Park, Qidong, Jiangsu Province, with its headquarters in Shanghai. The total project investment is 530 million yuan, with registered capital of 223.6 million yuan, covering an area of 155.4 mu, and a total building area of 73,536 m². It implements an annual production of 24,000 mt of dicumyl peroxide (DCP) (Phase I: 12,000 mt, Phase II: 12,000 mt). The DCP product process is mature, advanced, and features controllable safety measures. The entire process uses DCS control and an ESD emergency shutdown system. The peroxidation reaction adopts the currently advanced low-pressure dry peroxidation process. The system uses DCS for process indication, alarm, and control, and SIS for safety interlock measures on critical processes involving safety. Its production scale, process technology, and product quality have all reached professional levels. The product is mainly used as a crosslinking agent in rubber and plastic processing, applied in shoe manufacturing (EVA), building insulation materials (EPS), and wire and cable industries, with nearly 50% exported to markets such as Europe and America. The products are mainly supplied to internationally renowned enterprises such as Borouge, Hanwha, Wanma, and Wanhua Chemical. The company has a team of technical personnel with extensive production management experience. Currently, it has over 210 employees, including more than 100 with a college degree or above. The company has a professional R&D center, testing center, and production site. It advocates the philosophy of green ecology and clean production, strictly implements relevant national environmental protection standards, and has designed and built a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) project in accordance with petrochemical regulations, along with wastewater treatment facilities and a hazardous waste storage warehouse. It has passed six system certifications: quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety management, energy management, EcoVadis, and REACH. Daoming Chemical will follow the development direction of technology and environmental protection, adhere to the service philosophy of " Customer First, Consistent Always ", uphold the business policy of " Standardized Management, Market-Oriented Operation ", and strive hard to become a professional chemical enterprise in the industry. Contact Information Wang Jun 137 7351 1805 SMM Conference Contact Zhang Guolei 166 0190 0190 zhangguolei@smm.cn Scan the QR code to attend immediately