The 2026 World Power Battery Conference, held in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, from September 3, has underscored the region’s central role in the global power battery industry. The conference focused on industry policies, cutting-edge technologies, innovative applications, new energy storage, and battery recycling, aiming to foster cross-border collaboration through high-level international exchanges.
Data released at the event highlighted China’s technological strides. The driving range of lithium-powered batteries has expanded from around 100 kilometers initially to as much as 1,000 kilometers today. Charging times have dropped from several hours to roughly 10 minutes, while battery durability has increased from about 300 charge cycles to up to 1,500 cycles for energy storage units. Costs have plummeted by 90%, making electric vehicles more accessible.
Eight innovative power battery technologies for 2025–2026 were unveiled, including ultra-fast charging batteries that can charge 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 drive further industry innovation.
Ouyang Minggao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, outlined three major development trends. First, 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, that emitted gases do not harm occupants, and that they pass external short-circuit tests after 300 fast-charging cycles. Second, AI empowerment across the whole chain, which will reshape battery design, manufacturing, and management. Third, green and low-carbon development throughout the full lifecycle.
Wang He, founder and CTO of GALBOT, discussed the company’s exploration of embodied intelligent robots. One product, developed through deep integration with the power battery industry, has already been commercially deployed at large scale at companies like CATL. Wang predicted that leading players might reach the “ChatGPT moment” for embodied intelligence by 2028, leading to explosive growth in humanoid robotics and opening new horizons for the power battery sector.
Spain was the Guest Country of Honor. Spanish Ambassador to China, Betanzos, noted that Chinese investment in Spain is shifting from trade to long-term industrial projects, creating high-quality jobs and alliances with local companies.
The conference, launched in Yibin in 2022, has become a key platform for international cooperation in the power battery industry. This year’s sessions reflect a global push toward safer, smarter, and more sustainable energy storage solutions, with implications for electric mobility, grid storage, and beyond.
