The 2026 World Power Battery Conference commenced on September 3 in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, drawing attention to the latest advancements and strategic directions in the power battery sector. The conference, which runs through the week, features thematic sessions on industry policies, cutting-edge technologies, innovative applications, new energy storage, and battery recycling. These sessions aim to foster cross-border industrial collaboration through high-level international exchanges, promoting pragmatic cooperation in the global power battery arena.
Data released at the conference underscored China's significant contributions to the power battery industry. Over the years, indigenously developed technologies have dramatically improved battery performance. The driving range of lithium-powered batteries has surged from roughly 100 kilometers in the early stages to up to 1,000 kilometers today. Charging times have been slashed from hours to approximately 10 minutes, while battery durability has increased from about 300 charge cycles to as many as 1,500 cycles for energy storage batteries. Moreover, costs have plummeted by 90%, making electric vehicles more accessible.
At the opening ceremony, eight innovative power battery technologies for the 2025–2026 period were unveiled, including batteries supporting ultra-fast charging in about 10 minutes, hybrid solid-liquid batteries with a specific energy of 350 Wh/kg, and large-capacity, high-safety energy storage batteries ranging from 300 Ah to 600 Ah. These breakthroughs are expected to fuel further innovation across the industry, according to officials.
Ouyang Minggao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, outlined three major development trends. First, battery safety across the entire lifecycle is paramount. China's mandatory national standard, Electric Vehicles Traction Battery Safety Requirements, took effect on July 1, mandating that batteries must not catch fire or explode, emitted gases must not harm occupants, and after 300 fast-charging cycles, batteries must pass external short-circuit tests without igniting. Second, AI empowerment is reshaping the industry. The application of AI to intelligent battery design, manufacturing, and management will transform the entire technology, industrial, and value chains. Third, green and low-carbon development throughout the full lifecycle is crucial.
Wang He, founder and CTO of GALBOT, shared insights on embodied intelligent robots. One of GALBOT's latest products, which surpasses the workload limits of humanoid robots, was developed through deep integration with the power battery industry and has been commercialized at scale at companies like CATL. Wang predicts that leading players may reach the "ChatGPT moment" for embodied intelligence by 2028, ushering in a steep growth curve for humanoid robotics and opening new horizons for the power battery sector.
Spain served as the Guest Country of Honor. The Spanish Ambassador to China, Betanzos, noted that Chinese investment in Spain is shifting from trade to long-term industrial projects, bringing production to Spain, creating high-quality jobs, and forging alliances with local firms. This reflects the global nature of the conference, which has been hosted by Yibin since 2022, marking its fifth year.
