[8.15 Lithium Battery News] 149 entities participate in ESS anti-"rat race" competition! Formulate this self-regulation convention

[China Securities: Upstream Equipment Sector of the Entire Solid-State Battery Industry Chain to Benefit First] China Securities' research report stated that with the acceleration of solid-state battery industrialisation, as battery factories and automakers gradually get their pilot lines running, cost reduction across all links in the industry chain continues to advance, which is expected to drive explosive growth in downstream market demand. The upstream equipment sector of the entire solid-state battery industry chain will be the first to benefit. From an equipment investment perspective, the core difference between the production process of all-solid-state batteries and traditional liquid lithium-ion batteries is the key driver for the restructuring of equipment value. This mainly manifests in the front and middle segments of the entire process. All-solid-state batteries are more compatible with dry process technology from electrode preparation to electrolyte preparation, thus adding processes such as dry mixing and dry coating in the front segment, significantly increasing the value proportion; in the middle segment, the "stacking + pole piece frame printing + isostatic pressing" technology route replaces the traditional winding process, eliminating the electrolyte filling step, slightly increasing the value proportion; in the back segment, due to high-pressure modifications in the formation stage and increased requirements for the process environment, the single-machine value has also notably increased. (Cailian Press) [149 Organizations Participate! Soliciting Opinions on the Initiative for Maintaining Fair Competition Order and Promoting Healthy Development of the ESS Industry] On August 13, the China Chemical and Physical Power Supply Industry Association released a draft initiative titled "On Maintaining Fair Competition Order and Promoting Healthy Development of the ESS Industry" for soliciting opinions. It mentions that this convention adheres to the basic principles of "patriotism, law-abiding, safety-first, quality-priority, coordinated development, and compliant operation," advocating that while promoting technological progress and market expansion, enterprises should resonate with national strategies, actively integrate into the grand picture of national energy transition and industrial upgrading, adhere to legal bottom lines, industry norms, and social responsibilities, ensuring sustainable and healthy development of the industry. The purpose and objective are to create a fair, standardized, healthy, and sustainable development environment for the lithium-ion battery and ESS industries, promote coordinated development of the upstream and downstream industry chains, strengthen awareness of safety responsibility and quality assurance, and based on relevant national laws, regulations, and industrial policies, formulate this self-discipline convention. Click for more details [Farasis Energy: Semi-Solid-State Batteries Delivered to Global Leading Logistics Drone Customers] Farasis Energy stated on the interactive platform that it has successfully delivered samples of its semi-solid-state batteries to global leading logistics drone customers, and the progress is going well. (Cailian Press) [Direct Sales Model for Car Insurance Reduces Expense Ratio, BYD P&C Insurance Turns Profitable in H1] According to the Q2 2025 solvency report recently disclosed by BYD P&C Insurance, in H1, BYD P&C Insurance achieved insurance business revenue of 1.398 billion yuan, surpassing the full-year level of 2024, with a net profit of 31.3459 million yuan. All car insurance premiums signed came from direct sales channels.

The market has been closely monitoring BYD's insurance operations due to its full ownership by an NEV manufacturer. In recent years, with the rapid development of the NEV market, many NEV manufacturers have begun venturing into auto insurance. Industry insiders believe these manufacturers possess advantages in data, channels, cost control, and innovative service potential, which could inject new vitality into the auto insurance sector. (Cailian Press)

[Geely's Gui Shengyue on Anti-"Rat Race" Competition: Not Just Opposing Price Wars, But Also Learning from Peers and Avoiding Negative Remarks]At Geely Automobile's mid-2025 earnings conference, Gui Shengyue, CEO and Executive Director of Geely Automobile Holdings Limited, shared his views on anti-"rat race" competition. He stated that the national advocacy against such competition goes beyond opposing price wars. Geely aims to learn from peers' strengths, refrain from criticizing them, and focus on its own operations. If every Chinese automaker adheres to these principles, it would align with the national anti-"rat race" initiative.

[S&P Global Mobility's Tao Gao: Domestic Auto Capacity Utilization Expected to Recover to Healthy 80% Level]On August 14, Tao Gao, Co-Director of Automotive Analysis for Greater China at S&P Global Mobility, noted that according to their calculations, China's auto production capacity peaked in 2017-2018. With industry consolidation in recent years, many new automakers have exited, leading to a significant overall capacity reduction. While current capacity utilization remains relatively low, flexible production systems, coupled with sustained export growth and domestic consumption recovery in coming years, are expected to restore capacity utilization to a healthy 80% level.

Related Reading: