The 2026 World Power Battery Conference, held from September 3 in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, has underscored the rapid evolution of power battery technology and its global implications. The event, which opened on September 3, brought together industry leaders, experts, and policymakers to discuss industry policies, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative applications, with a particular focus on new energy storage and battery recycling. This year's conference also highlighted the deepening of cross-border industrial collaboration and the advancement of international cooperation in the power battery sector.
Data released at the conference revealed significant milestones achieved through China's indigenous technological developments. The driving range of lithium-powered batteries has increased from approximately 100 kilometers in early iterations to as much as 1,000 kilometers today. Charging times have been drastically reduced from hours to around 10 minutes. Battery durability has improved from roughly 300 charge cycles to as many as 1,500 cycles for energy storage batteries, while costs have plummeted by 90%. These advancements are not only transforming the automotive industry but also have broader implications for energy storage and grid stability.
At the opening ceremony, eight innovative power battery technologies for the 2025–2026 period were unveiled. These include power batteries that support 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 with capacities ranging from 300 Ah to 600 Ah. These breakthroughs are expected to provide further impetus for innovation across the industry, potentially accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy systems worldwide.
Ouyang Minggao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, outlined three major development trends for the power battery industry. The first is battery safety across the entire lifecycle. China's mandatory national standard, Electric Vehicles Traction Battery Safety Requirements, took effect on July 1, requiring that batteries do not catch fire or explode, released gases do not harm vehicle occupants, and batteries pass external short-circuit tests without igniting or exploding after 300 fast-charging cycles. The second trend is AI empowerment across the whole chain, where artificial intelligence is applied to intelligent battery design, manufacturing, and management, reshaping the entire technology, industrial, and value chains. The third is green and low-carbon development throughout the full lifecycle, emphasizing the importance of sustainability in battery production and disposal.
Wang He, founder and CTO of GALBOT, shared insights on the integration of embodied intelligent robots with the power battery industry. One of GALBOT's latest products, which breaks through the workload limits of humanoid robots, was developed through deep integration with the battery sector and has been commercially deployed at companies including CATL. Wang believes that leading players in the sector could reach the "ChatGPT moment" for embodied intelligence by 2028, ushering in a steep growth curve for the humanoid robotics industry. This explosive growth of humanoid robots would open up a new horizon for the power battery sector, creating substantial demand for advanced batteries.
Spain served as the Guest Country of Honor at this year's conference. Betanzos, the Spanish Ambassador to China, noted that Chinese investment in Spain is shifting from trade toward long-term industrial projects, bringing production to Spain, creating high-quality jobs, and establishing alliances with local companies. This signifies a growing international collaboration in the power battery industry, with potential benefits for global supply chains and technological exchange.
The World Power Battery Conference, launched in Yibin in 2022, has become a key platform for discussing the future of power batteries. As the industry continues to innovate, the implications for the automotive, energy, and robotics sectors are profound, promising a future of cleaner transportation, more reliable energy storage, and advanced automation.
