The 2026 World Power Battery Conference, held from September 3 in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, has become a pivotal platform for discussing the future of power batteries. The conference, which runs through a series of thematic sessions, focuses on industry policies, cutting-edge technologies, innovative applications, new energy storage technologies, and battery recycling. These discussions aim to deepen cross-border industrial collaboration and advance international cooperation in the power battery sector.
Data released at the conference underscored China's significant contributions to the industry. The driving range of lithium-powered batteries has increased from roughly 100 kilometers in their early days to as much as 1,000 kilometers today. Charging times have been reduced from hours to approximately 10 minutes, while battery durability has improved from about 300 charge cycles to as many as 1,500 cycles for energy storage batteries. Additionally, costs have plummeted by 90%, making power batteries more accessible and efficient.
At the opening ceremony, eight innovative power battery technologies for the 2025–2026 period were unveiled. These include power batteries that support ultra-fast charging in about 10 minutes, hybrid solid-liquid batteries with a specific energy of 350 Wh/kg, and large-capacity, high-safety energy storage batteries with capacities ranging from 300 Ah to 600 Ah. These breakthroughs are expected to provide further impetus for innovation across the industry, as noted by Ouyang Minggao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who highlighted three major development trends.
First, battery safety across the entire lifecycle has become a priority. China's mandatory national standard, Electric Vehicles Traction Battery Safety Requirements, took effect on July 1, requiring batteries to not catch fire or explode, ensuring emitted gases are harmless to occupants, and mandating that after 300 fast-charging cycles, batteries must pass external short-circuit tests without igniting or exploding. Second, AI empowerment is set to reshape the industry. The application of AI to intelligent battery design, manufacturing, and management will transform the entire technology, industrial, and value chains. Third, green and low-carbon development is crucial, with a focus on the full lifecycle of batteries.
Wang He, founder and CTO of GALBOT, shared insights on embodied intelligent robots. One of GALBOT's latest products, which breaks through the workload limits of humanoid robots, was developed through deep integration with the power battery industry and has been commercially deployed at companies including CATL. Wang believes that leading players may reach the "ChatGPT moment" for embodied intelligence by 2028, ushering in a steep growth curve for humanoid robotics and opening new horizons for the power battery sector.
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 establishing alliances with local Spanish companies. The World Power Battery Conference, launched in Yibin in 2022, marks its fifth year in the city, reinforcing its role as a key event for the global power battery industry.
