The 2026 World Power Battery Conference, held in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, from September 3, has become a pivotal event for the global power battery industry. With a focus on industry policies, cutting-edge technologies, innovative applications, new energy storage, and battery recycling, the conference features thematic sessions aimed at deepening cross-border industrial collaboration and advancing international cooperation in the sector.
Data released at the conference highlighted significant progress in China's power battery technology. The driving range of lithium-powered batteries has surged from around 100 kilometers in the early stages to as much as 1,000 kilometers today. Charging time has been slashed from hours to approximately 10 minutes, while battery durability has improved from roughly 300 charge cycles to up to 1,500 cycles for energy storage batteries. Additionally, costs have plummeted by 90%, making these technologies more accessible and sustainable.
At the opening ceremony, eight innovative power battery technologies for the 2025–2026 period were unveiled, including 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 ranging from 300 Ah to 600 Ah. These breakthroughs are expected to provide further momentum for industry innovation and adoption.
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, mandating that batteries must not catch fire or explode, released gases must not harm occupants, and after 300 fast-charging cycles, they must pass external short-circuit tests without igniting. The second trend is AI empowerment throughout the entire chain, where AI applications in intelligent design, manufacturing, and management will reshape the industry. The third is green and low-carbon development across the full lifecycle, emphasizing environmental sustainability.
Wang He, founder and CTO of GALBOT, shared insights on embodied intelligent robots. One of the company's latest products, which overcomes workload limits of humanoid robots, was developed through deep integration with the power battery industry and has been commercialized at large scale at companies including 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 creating new opportunities for the power battery sector.
Spain was 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 to long-term industrial projects, bringing production to Spain, creating high-quality jobs, and forging alliances with local companies. This reflects the growing international collaboration in the power battery industry.
The World Power Battery Conference, launched in Yibin in 2022, has become a key platform for industry dialogue and cooperation. This year's event underscores the rapid advancements and global significance of power battery technologies, with implications for energy storage, electric vehicles, and beyond.
