500Ah+ LFP Cells Enter Mass Production: Chinese Firms Lead the GW-Scale Storage Era

As the calendar turned to early 2026, the global energy storage industry officially entered a new phase of GW-level installation competition. This shift is defined by a critical technological iteration in battery cells: large-capacity Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cells exceeding 500Ah have moved from technical validation to full-scale mass production. In this industrial transformation, Chinese lithium battery manufacturers have firmly established themselves as the absolute dominant force.

Leading enterprises such as CATL, EVE Energy, and HiTHIUM have completed mass production deliveries and capacity ramp-ups. Meanwhile, second-tier players like Envision AESC and CALB are accelerating product launches. A matrix of multi-specification large cells has formed, not only restructuring the product landscape but also leveraging advantages in technology, capacity, and the entire supply chain to extend China's lithium competitiveness into the global storage sector. Data indicates that by 2025, cumulative domestic shipments of 500Ah+ storage cells exceeded 5GWh, with over 90% of orders flowing to overseas markets, making these cells the new core weapon for China’s global expansion.

The Economic Logic: Large Cells Drive System-Level Cost Reductions The concentrated explosion of the large cell race is not accidental but an inevitable trend in global industry development. With rising renewable energy integration and the implementation of long-duration energy storage policies, traditional 280-314Ah cells can no longer meet the demands for high integration and low costs in containerized storage systems.

The 500Ah+ cell has become the industry's consensus path for upgrades. The core commercial logic lies in achieving system-level cost reduction through increased unit capacity: the number of cells required per container system can be reduced by over 60%. This directly cuts the cost of structural components—such as connectors, welding points, and sampling channels—by 15-20%, improves assembly efficiency by 30%, and boosts system energy density by more than 25%. Furthermore, Chinese companies are rapidly translating over a decade of material and process experience from the EV battery sector into competitive advantages for storage, laying a solid foundation for the scale-up of 500Ah+ cells.

Tier-1 Strategy: Mass Production and Capacity Ramp-Up Top-tier lithium companies rely on deep technical reserves to form a differentiated competitive landscape, becoming the core suppliers for the global market.

• CATL: As the frontrunner, its 587Ah cell utilizes upgraded winding processes and material modifications to achieve a volumetric energy density of 434Wh/L and a cycle life exceeding 10,000. Its Jining base established a 60GWh annual capacity, and by December 2025, cumulative shipments exceeded 2GWh following initial deliveries in June.

• EVE Energy: EVE entered the long-duration market with its 628Ah "Mr. Big" cell, achieving mass production in Hubei by December 2024. Its accompanying "Mr. Giant" system has been deployed in 400MWh-level independent storage stations and secured a massive 2.2GWh long-term order in Australia.

• HiTHIUM: Adopting a dual-track strategy, HiTHIUM mass-produced both its 587Ah ∞Cell and the ultra-large 1175Ah cell in 2025. The latter, designed specifically for 8-hour+ long-duration storage, has already secured over 6.5GWh in supply agreements with European and Israeli firms.

• Sunwoda Energy: Demonstrating rapid acceleration, Sunwoda produced its 1 millionth 684Ah cell just three months after starting mass production in September 2025. With a record-breaking volumetric density of 440Wh/L, it targets commercial and utility-scale scenarios.

The Supply Chain Advantage and Technical Foundations Beyond the giants, China’s second tier has fully positioned itself in the 500Ah+ race, creating the world's only comprehensive supply chain for these large-capacity LFP cells. Envision AESC released a 530Ah cell tailored for 6MWh+ containers; CALB plans to ship 588Ah cells by early 2026; and REPT’s 587Ah Wending® cell leverages power battery production experience for rapid scaling. From cathode materials to system integration, Chinese firms cover every link in the chain.

Technically, this scale-up is supported by cross-sector innovation. High-compaction density LFP materials are improved through ion doping, while manufacturing sees parallel upgrades in stacking and winding processes to control defect rates at the PPB (parts per billion) level. Mature technologies from the EV sector—such as liquid cooling, BMS, and multi-level safety protection—have been optimized for storage to solve thermal uniformity issues, making 10,000+ cycles the industry standard.

Market Outlook and Future Challenges Exports are the primary growth engine. In 2025, disclosed orders for 500Ah+ cells exceeded 20GWh, with the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia driving demand for 4-hour+ storage. To address the fragmentation of specifications (ranging from 530Ah to 628Ah), Chinese firms are transitioning from simple cell suppliers to integrated solution providers, delivering "Cell-System-Solution" packages to bypass compatibility issues.

Looking toward 2026, the industry faces three main hurdles: thermal management risks due to higher energy density, manufacturing consistency requirements, and standardization challenges. Analysts predict a shift from capacity wars to comprehensive strength competitions. Specification convergence is expected—with 587Ah potentially becoming the mainstream standard—while "vehicle-storage synergy" will further deepen, allowing flexible production lines to switch between EV and storage demands. As standards mature and capacity releases, Chinese lithium companies are set to continue leading the high-quality development of the global energy storage industry.

Edit by paco

Last Update:2026-01-28 11:23:11