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. With a focus on industry policies, cutting-edge technologies, innovative applications, new energy storage, and battery recycling, the conference aims to foster international collaboration and pragmatic partnerships in the sector.
Data released at the conference underscored China's substantial contributions to the power battery industry. The driving range of lithium-powered batteries has surged from roughly 100 kilometers in their early days to as much as 1,000 kilometers today. Charging times have been slashed from hours to approximately 10 minutes, while battery durability has improved dramatically—from about 300 charge cycles to as many as 1,500 cycles for energy storage batteries. These advancements have accompanied a 90% reduction in costs, 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 supporting ultra-fast charging in around 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. Such breakthroughs are expected to drive further innovation across the industry.
Ouyang Minggao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, outlined three major trends shaping the industry's future. First, battery safety across the entire lifecycle is paramount. China's mandatory national standard, Electric Vehicles Traction Battery Safety Requirements, which took effect on July 1, mandates that batteries must not catch fire or explode, emitted gases must not harm occupants, and after 300 fast-charging cycles, they must still pass external short-circuit tests without igniting or exploding. Second, AI empowerment is set to transform the industry. The application of AI to intelligent battery design, manufacturing, and management will reshape the entire technology, industrial, and value chains. Third, green and low-carbon development across the full lifecycle is becoming a core principle.
Wang He, founder and CTO of GALBOT, shared insights on embodied intelligent robots. One of GALBOT's latest products, which pushes beyond the workload limits of humanoid robots, was developed through deep integration with the power battery industry and has been commercially deployed at large scale at companies like CATL. Wang believes that leading players in the sector may reach the "ChatGPT moment" for embodied intelligence by 2028, ushering in a steep growth curve for humanoid robotics. This explosive growth, he noted, would open new horizons for the power battery sector, as these robots would require advanced energy solutions.
Spain served as the Guest Country of Honor at this year's conference. Betanzos, the Spanish Ambassador to China, highlighted that Chinese investment in Spain is shifting from trade to long-term industrial projects, bringing production to Spain, creating high-quality jobs, and forming alliances with local companies. This reflects the growing international cooperation in the power battery sector.
The World Power Battery Conference, launched in Yibin in 2022, is now in its fifth year. The event continues to serve as a critical forum for stakeholders to share knowledge, showcase innovations, and address challenges, positioning Yibin as a central hub for the global power battery industry.
