#1 Battery Maker in World Says USA Can't Make EVs without China - CleanTechnica

The article highlights that China dominates the global electric vehicle (EV) battery market, with CATL as the world’s largest producer and BYD as the second largest. Despite U.S. efforts to block automakers from using Chinese batteries, these restrictions have limited impact because Chinese companies continue to influence the U.S. market indirectly. For example, Ford is partnering with CATL to produce lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries in Michigan by paying intellectual property royalties, while General Motors imports CATL-made LFP batteries from China under a tariff, reflecting the U.S. industry’s current inability to produce cheaper batteries domestically. A key reason for China’s dominance is its massive EV market, which accounts for about half of global EV sales, enabling mature supply chains and cost reductions through scale and experience. The U.S. market, by contrast, is smaller and less developed, causing delays in catching up with technologies like LFP batteries. Ford executives acknowledge that it would have taken the U.S.