Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited

CATL started life in 2011 as a spinoff from Amperex Technology Limited, the consumer battery maker Robin Zeng had co-founded back in 1999. The company set up shop in Ningde, a small city in Fujian province that would grow into a global battery hub. Within a year, CATL landed a deal with BMW to supply batteries for its electric vehicles. That partnership gave the young company instant credibility with automakers worldwide. By 2013, CATL had developed batteries for Yutong, the world's largest commercial vehicle maker, and opened its Xining plant.

Today CATL operates 13 battery manufacturing bases across China, Germany, and Hungary. Its home facility in Ningde is one of the largest battery factories on earth, churning out cells for cars, buses, trucks, ships, and grid storage. The company's product lineup includes lithium iron phosphate and ternary lithium batteries, sodium-ion batteries, condensed matter batteries, and its EVOGO battery-swapping system. CATL also runs a battery recycling business and supplies materials like lithium salts and cathode precursors.

CATL has held the top spot in global EV battery shipments for eight straight years, with roughly 38% market share in 2024. Its clients include Tesla, Volkswagen, BMW, and nearly every major automaker. In 2025, the company raised $5.2 billion in Hong Kong's biggest IPO of the year, money earmarked for renewable energy projects and overseas expansion. That same year, its German plant in Arnstadt turned profitable, and the company announced plans to bring battery-swapping and recycling to Europe. [edit]