Large cell intergenerational switching: 500+Ah has become the mainstream of the market
At the 2026 SNEC exhibition, the large-capacity energy storage battery (500+Ah) has entered the stage of “large-scale application” from the “concept product” to become the standard production line of all the head exhibitors. The 587Ah / 588Ah specification has officially replaced the 314Ah in the industry consensus as the de facto standard for the next generation of energy storage cells.
In terms of specific data, in the first quarter of 2026, the global large storage battery cell shipments were 178.27GWh, an increase of 84.54% year-on-year. The top 5 companies are CATL, Haichuan Energy Storage, BYD Energy Storage, EVE Energy, and Zhongxing Aviation. Among them, CATL is leading with a market share of 25%. The shipments of the second to fifth companies are concentrated between 15GWh and 21GWh, and the share gap is within 3%. At the same time, the penetration rate of 500+ Ah battery cells in the first quarter are close to 5%, which is the inflection point of the transition from the introduction period to the growth period.
Horizontal comparison of core energy storage core manufacturers technology and parameters
1. The CATL era – a global leader, a first-mover in scale
CATL is the world’s largest market share of energy storage batteries (Q1 market share of about 25% in 2026), SNEC 2026 exhibited 587Ah large-capacity energy storage batteries and 300 + Ah energy storage dedicated sodium ion batteries.
The 587Ah energy storage cell is the company’s flagship product. It has a nominal capacity of 587 Ah, a nominal power of 3.2 V and a form factor of 73.05mm×274.6mm×218.1mm. Compared with the previous generation of 314Ah cells, the energy density has increased to 434Wh / L, which is about 10% higher than 314Ah.The cycle efficiency is improved to 96.5%, and the cycle life and decay performance are further optimized. Since the production and delivery of the battery cell in June 2025, the cumulative shipment has exceeded 5GWh by April 2026. The production is supported by the Jining factory in Shandong, with a daily production capacity of more than 220,000 units. The defect rate of the battery cell is controlled at the level of PPB (one billionth). The 587Ah battery cell has been applied in batches to national benchmark projects such as 2.4GWh in Buerhtu, Inner Mongolia, and 1.2GWh in Ningdong, Ningxia.
The sodium-ion battery with a capacity of 300Ah is the first launch of CATL in the sodium-ion battery field. The product uses a platform design with the same shell as the 587Ah lithium battery, which can achieve the maximum compatibility of the system for lithium and sodium electricity; The efficiency is 97%, the cycle life is more than 15,000 times, covering large-scale energy storage from 2 hours to 8 hours and AIDC energy storage application scenarios, and is expected to be commercialized in 2026.
2. Haiyan Energy Storage – a track pioneer in long-term energy storage cells
With the strategic positioning of “long-term driving and green electricity sustainability,” HiTHIUM Energy Storage has formed a “dual-core combination” product matrix of 587Ah, 650Ah and 1175Ah, of which 1175Ah is the world ‘s first kilowatt-hour class long-term energy storage dedicated battery, which makes up the gap of dedicated batteries in the field of medium and long-term energy storage.
The 1175Ah cell is the core star product of the company’s SNEC 2026, rated capacity of 1175Ah, energy density ≥ 180Wh / kg, cycle life of more than 11000 times. The ∞Power 6.25MWh energy storage system equipped with this cell achieves a high space utilization rate within the 20-foot container size and 50-ton shipping weight limit through the optimal topology design of “4 columns and 8 clusters”. Haichen is also the first company in the world to complete the large-scale fire test certification of a kilowatt-hour battery storage system UL9540A. The innovative design of the cell level is “three-dimensional airway + directional valve opening structure”, and the module level adopts a double pressure relief valve safety design, without explosion and debris flying during the test.
In addition, Haichen made its first public debut at SNEC 2026 with ∞ Cell 650Ah large-capacity battery and ∞ Power 10 + MWh product plan, further breaking the 20-foot TEU capacity limit.
3. BYD Energy Storage – the world’s largest single capacity builder
The core advantage of BYD energy storage lies in its full stack self-development and world-leading integration degree. In the first quarter of 2026, BYD Energy Storage returned to the top three in global large-scale energy storage cell shipments with strong performance in large project orders.
The equipped 2710Ah special blade battery for energy storage is the world’s largest production capacity of special energy storage cells, with a minimum unit capacity of 14.5MWh, equivalent to 10MWh of 20-foot containers. The Vcts (cell-system volume ratio) of this cell is the highest in the world at 52.1%, which is significantly ahead of the mainstream level of the industry, and the system energy density reaches 190-210 with the full stack of self-developed PCS and EMS.Wh/kg.
BYD’s second-generation blade battery adopts a combination of manganese iron phosphate composite positive electrode and silicon carbon negative electrode material. The voltage platform of the battery cell is raised from 3.2V to 3.8V, and the system energy density is increased by about 36% compared with the first generation product. The energy density of the battery cell is more than 200 Wh/kg.
4. Lithium Latitude – a minimalist integration and platform strategy
BYD LiFePO4 2026 Q1 ranked in the top five in the global large storage battery market. SNEC 2026 exhibition 628Ah large capacity energy storage cell (Mr.Big) is the core product, the size of 352mm × 72mm × 207mm, a storage of about 2 degrees of electricity. The highlight of the cell design is that its width is equal to the sum of the widths of two mainstream 314Ah cells, which can maximize the reuse of existing Pack structure, fixtures and production line fixtures, effectively reducing the industry switching cost. The cycle life is more than 12,000 times, through the lamination process, high toughness diaphragm and other intrinsic safety design, the internal temperature difference is controlled within 3 ℃ and has self-developed AI health detection function.
EVE Energy Co.,Ltd. also exhibited a 6.9MWh energy storage system (20-foot container) based on a 628Ah battery cell, which increased the system energy density by 10 % and saved about 2.6 million yuan in initial investment costs for a 200MWh project.
5. Ripple Lanyon – Question #0 Technology platforms drive differentiation
REPT BATTERO exhibited two core products, 588Ah large capacity energy storage cell and 392Ah energy storage cell, based on the question-top technology at SNEC 2026.
The top ®588Ah battery cell has a single-cell capacity of 1.88kWh, a specific energy density of 420Wh / L, an energy efficiency of more than 95%, a cycle life of more than 10,000 times, and a long service life of 25-30 years. The shortest electron transfer path and the fastest ion transfer speed brought by the topping ® technology make it achieve a high degree of unity in energy, safety and cycle life. Relying on the technology of asking the top, they have built a full range of products matrix of 50Ah 588Ah, covering all scenes of household, industry and commerce, and grid side.
At the level of energy storage system, the energy efficiency of the Powtrix {0 6.25MWh energy storage system with 588Ah battery cells is 95.5 %, the energy density is increased by 25 %, and the integrated cost is reduced by 10 % and the land area is saved by 16 %.
6. China Innovation Aviation – Three stages of the “Longest” series coverage
At SNEC 2026, CALB Group Co., Ltd. announced the “Zhijiu” series of long-cycle energy storage cells, which include three capacity versions of 392Ah, 588Ah and 661Ah. 392Ah is for industrial and commercial use and distributed scenarios, 588Ah is suitable for standard grid-level energy storage, and 661Ah is looking for differentiated positioning in the direction of higher capacity. INOVANCE has long been in the TOP 5 ranks of energy storage cell shipments.
7. Chu Neng New Energy – 588Ah Leading Capacity and CTP Integration
CORNEX NEW ENERGY CO., LTD. at SNEC 2026 588Ah battery Outstanding performance: mass energy density of 190Wh / kg, volume energy density of 419Wh / L, round-trip energy efficiency of 96.5%, cycle life of more than 12,000 times. The core performance improvements are based on three key technological innovations: multi-stage cathode particle size control, stable cathode skeleton design, and electrolyte self-repair technology.
The 588Ah battery and the 472Ah cell share the manufacturing process, which can quickly achieve production capacity. In terms of production capacity planning, the total planned production capacity of Chuneng New Energy is more than 200GWh. At this stage, the production line transformation, process verification and small batch trial production have been completed, and it has the ability to deliver large scale production.
In terms of integrated technology, CUT’s CTP3.0 module-free architecture integrates 104 cells into a box, with a single package volume density of 280Wh / L and a rated energy of 195.68kWh, reducing the production process by 35%. In the recent SNEC exhibition, Chueneng has received a total of 12 GWh of energy storage orders, further demonstrating the progress of its products in market validation.
8. Peng Hui Energy – Three Arrows Shooting Simultaneously: Large-Scale Storage + Residential Storage + AI
Penghui Energy formed a complete layout of the battery matrix of the three scenarios of “large storage, household storage and AIDC” at the SNEC2026 exhibition.
In the large-capacity energy storage cell field, the Pengfei Feng Pengfei 587Ah cell has entered the production line commissioning stage and is expected to start mass production and delivery in June, joining the 587Ah racing team. In the household storage dedicated cell field, the quality energy density of 122Ah household storage cell has exceeded 200Wh/kg, precisely matched the “All-in-One” minimalist design requirements of household storage system, and solved the integration density pain point of household storage all-in-one. In the AIDC dedicated cell field, the 85Ah cell has a discharge capacity of 10C, which is suitable for high-intensity dynamic load scenarios in AI data centers.
Penghui Energy also has reserves in the field of sodium batteries. The cost of sodium battery materials is only 70 % of lithium iron phosphate, and the target capacity of 180-200Wh / kg in 2026.
9. Envision Power – the world’s largest twisted electric core
Envision Energy 790Ah battery cell is the largest cylindrical winding energy storage battery cell produced globally by 2026 (as of the end of the first quarter). The energy density is more than 440Wh / L, the cycle life exceeds 15,000 times, the calendar life is up to 30 years, and the cell RTE is as high as 96%. The battery cell has been mass-produced at Vision Power’s Cangzhou factory, and the unit area energy density of its 12.5MWh energy storage system is ahead of similar products.
10. Southern Power – Commercialization of semi-solid-state batteries leads
The 314Ah semi-solid energy storage battery exhibited by Narada is one of the first commercialized semi-solid products in the industry. As of SNEC 2026, Nandu Power Supply has won a total of 2.8 GWh of orders for semi-solid-state batteries. The battery achieves breakthroughs in safety and cycle life by inhibiting lithium dendrites through an oxide electrolyte.
Advances in next generation sodium / solid state core technology
The industry believes that if the price of lithium carbonate is raised to 200,000/t in the second half of 2026, the full cost of lithium iron phosphate battery cells will reach 0.42 yuan/Wh. The cost of sodium battery cell is about 0.47 yuan / Wh, and sodium battery is expected to achieve parity with lithium iron battery by the end of 2026. The half-solid-state battery has a cycle life of more than 12,000 times under standard test conditions, which is about 50% to 100% longer than the mainstream liquid lithium iron phosphate battery.
The price system and cost transmission mechanism of energy storage cells
1. Upstream raw material prices: the “bedrock” of electrical core prices
The price of energy storage cells is highly positively correlated with lithium carbonate prices. As of May 2026, both spot and futures prices of lithium carbonate have surpassed key thresholds. The battery-grade lithium carbonate spot price is close to US$27,100 per ton, while the main futures contract has surged to approximately US$28,500 per ton, representing an increase of more than 67% year-to-date.
Lithium carbonate alone has increased cell production costs by approximately US$0.014–0.017 per Wh.
Industry estimates indicate that for every US$1,390 per ton increase in lithium carbonate prices (equivalent to CNY 10,000/ton), the cost of energy storage cells rises by approximately US$0.00083 per Wh.
2. Power core quote trend: recovery across the board but increased internal layering
In Q4 2025, 314Ah energy storage cells from leading manufacturers were priced at about $0.046–$0.050/Wh, while third-tier manufacturers offered below $0.044/Wh.
By February 2026, leading manufacturers increased to $0.056–$0.059/Wh, and third-/fourth-tier manufacturers rose to about $0.049/Wh.
In March 2026, the average energy storage cell price reached about $0.052/Wh.
From the cost side, current LFP cell cost is about $0.056/Wh. If lithium carbonate rises to $29,530/ton and copper rises to $16,242/ton in H2 2026, the full LFP cell cost may reach about $0.062/Wh.
3. Winning price anchors: a true benchmark for supply chain procurement
The bid price of energy storage cells stabilized above $0.047/Wh in the first quarter of 2026, significantly higher than the 2025 low of approximately $0.038/Wh.
In the 7 GW battery cell framework tender of Zhongqi Technology in mid-May, the winning bid price was around $0.050/Wh.
For the 4 GWh energy storage system framework procurement by Huaneng, the winning bid prices ranged from $0.076–$0.089/Wh (system level), including the complete integrated cost of the PCS, thermal management system, EMS, and other balance-of-system components. Battery cells typically account for approximately 60–70% of the total system cost.
4. The nature of cost-driven pricing
Based on data from various sources, the pricing boundaries for the battery cell segment have become increasingly clear. The reasonable quotation range for 314Ah energy storage cells from leading manufacturers is approximately $0.052–$0.059/Wh.
For 500Ah+ large-format cells, prices are currently similar to or slightly lower than those of 314Ah cells due to the dilution of unit costs across higher capacities. Over the longer term, these prices are expected to decline further as manufacturing scales and production efficiencies improve.
Offers below $0.044/Wh (equivalent to less than 0.30 yuan/Wh) are becoming increasingly difficult to sustain commercially.
At the high end of the market, companies such as CATL and BYD can still maintain reasonable gross margins within the $0.052–$0.059/Wh price range, supported by strong supply-chain integration, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and rigorous cost control. In contrast, manufacturers with weaker cost-control capabilities are approaching break-even levels at these price points.
Competitive Pattern Matrix
Trends and implications
Trend 1: 500 + Ah large-capacity intergenerational switching window is closing at an accelerated pace
From the centralized release of the 600Ah + concept in 2025 to the 587Ah / 588Ah delivered at SNEC in 2026, the 500Ah battery is rapidly replacing the 314Ah as the industry benchmark. CATL 587Ah took the lead in completing 5GWh cumulative shipments and landing a number of national benchmarking projects, establishing a first-mover advantage; Hithium 1175Ah and Cornex 588Ah open a new difference between the large-capacity battery and the long-term energy storage market. At the same time, high-capacity cells place higher requirements on material formulation, manufacturing accuracy and thermal management design, and technical barriers are forming at an accelerated pace.
Trend 2: A “double race” between high capacity and high energy density
The improvement of energy density is a hard indicator of competitive breakthroughs by various companies: CATL 587Ah energy density 434Wh / L, RYPLAND 588Ah energy deity 420Wh /L, and Envision Energy 790Ah energy denomination 440 + Wh / H, becoming the industry’s top three. Cornex 588Ah volume energy density 419Wh / L also ranks the first echelon. The high energy density means that the same container can carry more capacity (more than 6.25 MWh in a 20-foot container is becoming standard), directly reducing the initial investment of the plant.
Trend 3: Sodium and semi-solid batteries are on the eve of industrialization
CATL 300+Ah sodium battery, Great Power 180-200Wh/kg sodium battery plan to mass production in 2026, Narada Power semi-solid 2.8GWh order – these signals show that the next generation of chemical systems are steadily moving from RD testing phase to commercialization. If the price of lithium carbonate continues to be high (> 150,000 yuan / ton), the low material cost advantage of sodium batteries will be greatly magnified, and it is expected to achieve parity with iron lithium cost in 2026-2027.
Trend 4: The price system has moved on from a unilateral downward trend to a layered pricing phase
Since the first quarter of 2026, the price of power cells has recovered to a range of 0.32-0.40 yuan / Wh, and the top companies can support a medium-high level of 0.38-0.40 RMB / WT due to the advantages of technical performance and reliability, while the third and fourth-tier manufacturers still hover around 0.33 RMB. Cluster mining has become an important tool for price anchoring, but procurement decisions for large projects are shifting from a single price to a comprehensive trade-off of cycle life, energy density, technical routes and safety certification.
Trend 5: Differentiation paths emerge, with “single products being king” giving way to “product portfolio”
Competitive energy storage battery companies no longer only bet on a certain capacity, but to build a production portfolio covering different durations and application scenarios: Ningde era “587Ah lithium + 300 + Ah sodium power,” Hithium “587Ah + 1175Ah” dual-core layout, Rept Battero “500-588Ah full series,” Great Power “large storage + household storage + AIDC” three-line parallel. The scenarios of the energy storage terminal market have intensified, forcing battery manufacturers to transform from “one battery to the world” to “many product lines collaborate.”
Conclusion
The 2026 SNEC energy storage exhibition has become a watershed for the intergenerational switch of energy storage cells. 587Ah / 588Ah and other 500 + Ah large-capacity batteries to completely replace 314Ah become the core of the industry, the next generation of kilo-Ah batteries and sodium batteries in the process of industrialization accelerated breakthrough. The heat of the booths is concurrent with the industry price pressure, but what is clearer through the show is that the real competitive landscape is not “who has the biggest booth,” but whose core parameters and pricing system can create a sustainable business closure in the new round of restructuring.
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