The 2026 World Power Battery Conference commenced on September 3 in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, drawing global attention to the latest developments in power battery technology. The event focuses on industry policies, cutting-edge technologies, innovative applications, new energy storage solutions, and battery recycling, aiming to foster cross-border industrial collaboration and international cooperation in the power battery sector.
Data released at the conference underscored China's significant progress in power battery technology. The driving range of lithium-powered batteries has expanded from approximately 100 kilometers in their early iterations to as much as 1,000 kilometers today. Charging times have been drastically reduced from several hours to about 10 minutes. Battery durability has improved from around 300 charge cycles to as many as 1,500 cycles for energy storage batteries, while costs have plummeted by 90%.
At the opening ceremony, eight innovative power battery technologies for the 2025–2026 period were unveiled. These include power batteries supporting ultra-fast charging in around 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 fresh momentum for industry-wide innovation.
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, emitted gases must not harm vehicle occupants, and after 300 fast-charging cycles, they must still pass external short-circuit tests without igniting or exploding. The second trend is AI empowerment across the whole chain, where AI applications in battery design, manufacturing, and management are set to reshape the industry. The third is green and low-carbon development throughout the full lifecycle.
Wang He, founder and CTO of GALBOT, shared insights on embodied intelligent robots, a product that breaks through workload limits of humanoid robots through deep integration with the power battery industry. This robot has already been commercialized at scale at companies like CATL. Wang predicts that leading players in the sector may reach the 'ChatGPT moment' for embodied intelligence by 2028, ushering in a steep growth curve for humanoid robotics and opening new horizons for power batteries.
Spain served as the Guest Country of Honor at this year's conference. 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 fostering alliances with local companies.
The World Power Battery Conference, launched in Yibin in 2022, marks its fifth year in the city, underscoring Yibin's role as a hub for power battery innovation and collaboration.
