[SMM Analysis] it will take time for overseas new energy vehicle plants to gradually resume production and recover terminal demand.

Published: May 10, 2020 23:16 (GMT+8)

Save

SMM, 10 May:

LG Chemical won the first place with 27.1 per cent market share in the first quarter of 2020, beating the powerful Ningde era and Panasonic, according to a new report by SNE Research, a South Korean market research firm. LG's market share more than doubled from the same period in 2019 to second place Panasonic (25.7 per cent), while Ningde, the defending champion of the year, came in third with 17.4 per cent, down from 23.4 per cent in the same period in 2019, the report said.

According to SMM research, due to the impact of the epidemic, the operating rate of domestic battery enterprises was low in the first quarter, but since then, due to no obvious improvement in terminal demand, the operating rate of battery factories has not improved; in addition, the overseas epidemic began to spread in the middle and late March, leading battery enterprises export orders were affected, and the power battery market was still in a depressed state in the second quarter.

At present, among the battery enterprises, the demand of LG industry chain is relatively stable, mainly relying on the full production of Tesla Shanghai factory.

In addition, BYD has focused on promoting lithium iron phosphate batteries this year, and its Chongqing plant has been in full production, driving demand for some lithium iron phosphate materials.

In late March, nearly 20 overseas automakers, including Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler, Peugeot Citroen, GM and Ford, have closed or plan to close more than 100 factories. According to relevant statistics, new energy plants, including Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Volvo, basically resumed work on April 20, while BMW's new energy plant in Leipzig, Germany, will resume work after May 18. At present, the epidemic has had an impact on the production of new energy vehicles for at least two months, and demand has to wait for the epidemic to be brought under control. European new energy vehicle sales data in April show that, with the exception of Germany, which still shows strong year-on-year growth, year-on-year sales in other countries have declined significantly, including countries severely affected by the epidemic, such as Spain and Italy, where new energy vehicles have dropped by more than 100% year-on-year.

Cobalt lithium cars batteries

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

3 hours ago

[SMM Chromium Flash] Global Chrome Ore Departures Fall 2.74% WoW to 642,500 mt, Maputo Rebounds

Global chrome ore departures totaled 642,500 mt in the week ended October 2, down 2.74% week-on-week, according to SMM's latest data. The modest headline decline masks a significant reshuffling beneath the surface, as a sharp rebound at Maputo was offset by pullbacks at Richards Bay and Mersin. Maputo departures rose to 488,800 mt from 340,200 mt, a 43.68% increase that lifted the port's share of total departures back to roughly 76% from about 51.5% a week earlier, reversing the prior week's shift toward a more distributed export mix. Richards Bay fell to 95,700 mt from 227,800 mt, a 57.99% decline that gave back the bulk of the prior week's rebound, while Mersin eased 31.52% to 58,000 mt from 84,700 mt. Beira again recorded no chrome ore departures, remaining inactive for a fourth consecutive week. The week's data points to a reversion toward the more Maputo-concentrated flow pattern seen through most of August and September, with the prior week's broader distribution across ports proving short-lived. Whether Richards Bay's pullback reflects a one-off after an unusually strong prior week or a return to its more intermittent loading pattern will be worth monitoring in the coming weeks.

3 hours ago

4 hours ago

[SMM Chromium Flash] China's High-Carbon Ferrochrome Output Drops 3.17% MoM in September as Cost Inversion Bites

SMM data showed that China's high-carbon ferrochrome output in September 2026 fell 3.17% MoM, a wider decline than August's 1.25%. Output remained 18.8% higher YoY, though growth slowed from 20.36% in August. Output for January to September was up 30.84% YoY, compared with 32.56% at the end of August. The slowdown reflects squeezed margins. Firm coke prices, higher power tariffs and slow-moving chrome ore prices raised costs, while lower steel mill tender prices pressured ferrochrome prices, so southern producers, where costs are highest, cut output most. Output in the northern producing region held up better and kept national volumes well above last year, which is why YoY and YTD growth remain strong even as the MoM trend turns down. SMM expects output to ease only slightly from here, with weaker stainless steel demand offset by lower chrome ore costs and fixed long-term contract volumes.

4 hours ago

Liberia survey flags early-stage anomalies across Zodiac licences

[SMM Tantalum & Niobium Flash] Zodiac Gold has completed 10,661 soil samples across 530 km² of its Bomi South and Bong West licences in Liberia. National stream-sediment maps place parts of the licence package within the top 0.5% of Liberia’s dataset for 16 elements, including tantalum and niobium. Zodiac’s portable-XRF screening of 2,270 soil samples returned niobium values up to 61 ppm; the release provided no corresponding quantified tantalum soil result. The findings broaden the licences beyond their primary gold focus and identify areas for follow-up mapping and infill sampling. They remain reconnaissance evidence, not a tantalum or niobium discovery: portable-XRF readings are preliminary, most samples have not yet been screened for multiple elements, and no drilling, mineral resource, metallurgy or economic study has established recoverable mineralisation.

4 hours ago