Business · Companies · 2 days ago
Ningde becomes a global center for electric-car battery production
Ningde was once a poor, mostly rural part of China, but CATL’s battery factories have transformed it.
CATL is the world’s largest producer of electric-car batteries and says it has a large share of the global market.
The company is also building factories in other countries, including Spain.
Its growth shows how one major manufacturer can reshape a local economy and build an industry around it.
Ningde in southeast China has become a global center for electric-vehicle battery production through CATL, the world’s largest producer of such batteries.
CATL had a 39.9% share of the global market from January to July 2026, according to consultancy SNE Research.
CATL’s plants in Ningde have an operational annual production capacity of around 330 GWh.
The company says artificial intelligence has improved product quality and process efficiency, with more than 96.5% of cells meeting its validity measure.
CATL is expanding production internationally, including facilities in Europe and Indonesia.
- Who
- CATL, the world’s largest producer of batteries for electric vehicles.
- What
- Ningde has become a global center for battery production. CATL’s plants there have around 330 GWh of operational annual capacity.
- When
- Over barely three decades.
- Where
- Ningde, in southeast China’s Fujian province.
- Why
- CATL’s growth turned Ningde into a major battery-manufacturing hub. The sources link the city’s development to the company and its industrial network.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ningde developed from one of Fujian province’s least industrialized corners into a global battery-manufacturing center.
CATL began producing cells in Arnstadt, Germany.
CATL’s global capacity reached 772 GWh.
CATL’s plant in Indonesia became operational.
SNE Research attributed a 39.9% global market share to CATL.
Tests of the first cell lines began at CATL’s plant in Debrecen, Hungary.
- Ningde CATL capacity
- Around 330 GWh annual operational capacity
- Jiaocheng base capacity
- Close to 60 GWh
- Jiaocheng workforce
- About 6,000 people
- CATL global market share
- 39.9% from January to July 2026, according to SNE Research
- CATL global capacity
- 772 GWh in 2025
- Figueruelas gigafactory
- Planned capacity of up to 50 GWh a year; scheduled to start in 2027
What people are saying
One in every 2.5 electric cars in the world is fitted with our batteries; every time you see one, it’s very likely it carries a CATL battery
For a small town to be remembered because of a company is a huge boost to local confidence
when I introduce myself, I only have to say I’m from Ningde, the CATL place
Sources
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