EV Battery Separator Installations Up 20.7%... Chinese Companies' Market Share Reaches 89.7%

38.7% Growth in Markets Outside China
Korean Companies' Market Share Falls to 3.7%

Chinese companies have further expanded their market share in the global electric vehicle battery separator market. In contrast, the market shares of Korean and Japanese companies have declined, widening the gap with China.

According to energy market research firm SNE Research on July 13, the global shipment volume of battery separators installed in electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), and hybrid vehicles (HEV) registered worldwide from January to May this year reached approximately 7.489 billion square meters, an increase of 20.7% compared to the same period last year.

During the same period, the shipment volume of separators in the global market excluding China was 2.605 billion square meters, up 38.7% year-on-year, recording a higher growth rate than the overall market.

Battery separators, which prevent short circuits by separating the cathode and anode in lithium-ion batteries, are key materials that impact battery safety, output, and lifespan. Demand continues to rise due to the expansion of the electric vehicle market, increased battery capacity per vehicle, and the growing adoption of high-energy-density cells.

By company, China's SEMCORP maintained its top position in the market by recording approximately 2.205 billion square meters, growing 15% year-on-year. Senior and Sinoma, also Chinese companies, increased by 19% and 15%, respectively. Gellec posted a high growth rate of 72%, further expanding its market share. In contrast, Korea's SK IE Technology (SKIET) saw a 13% decrease compared to the same period last year.

In terms of market share by nationality, the dominance of Chinese companies has become even stronger. As of the first quarter of this year, Chinese companies held an 89.7% market share, up 3.1 percentage points from a year earlier. Japanese companies accounted for 6.6%, and Korean companies 3.7%, both declining compared to the same period last year.

SNE Research stated, "Although the global market for electric vehicle separators continued to grow overall, growth in China was driven by the expansion of battery production, while in markets outside China, the recovery in electric vehicle sales led the growth." The firm added, "Going forward, the competitiveness of separator companies will depend less on simply increasing production volume and more on diversifying their customer base, responding to demand for energy storage system (ESS) products, establishing local production systems, and reducing dependence on China."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.