Brisk demand for e-bike battery lifts operating rates at lead-acid battery mills

SHANGHAI, Aug 9 (SMM) – Operations across lead-acid battery producers in China continued to ramp up this week, as high-season demand for electric bike batteries boosted production at battery mills.  

An SMM survey showed that the average operating rate across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hebei provinces rose for a third straight week, gaining 1.45 percentage points from the prior week to stand at 51.83% in the week to August 9.

Brisk demand and higher prices of lead prompted battery producers to hike offers. SMM learned that distributors stockpiled actively this week. 

Some battery producers also stepped up operations to prepare inventories of finished products ahead of the expected environmental curbs across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and surrounding areas in October, when China will celebrate the 70th anniversary of its founding.