NielsenIQ Report: CATL Tops Overseas Consumers' Mind Share for EV Batteries

March 2026 — NielsenIQ has released its 2026 Global New Energy Vehicle Consumer Research Report, revealing striking shifts in consumer brand awareness and trust in the power battery market.

Overseas Market: Chinese Brands Lead in Unaided Awareness

In overseas markets, when consumers were asked to name a battery brand without prompting (unaided first mention), the results showed:

• CATL: 26.7%
• BYD: 14.0%
• LG Energy Solution (LGES): 12.6%
• Panasonic: 8.7%
• Samsung SDI: 5.4%
• SK ON: 4.8%

This means the proportion of overseas consumers who spontaneously think of Chinese battery brands is now several times higher than that for Japanese and Korean brands.

China Market: Two Brands Command Nearly 70% of Mindshare

In the Chinese domestic market:

• CATL: 40.9%
• BYD: 25.3%

Together, these two brands account for nearly 70% of consumer mindshare.

Expert Reaction: "An Era Has Turned"

Dr. Gao Zhikai, Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), shared his reflections on Weibo on March 21:

"I calculated these numbers twice. Not because I don't believe them, but because I dare not believe them easily. Who is Panasonic? It was the brand that, when I was young, every household wanted but dared not admit to wanting. Today, in the minds of consumers worldwide, Panasonic — along with two other Japanese and Korean giants — combined still weighs less than a single Chinese brand. This is not just about winning or losing a race; it is the sound of an era turning. I spent many years at the United Nations and on Wall Street, and I have seen all kinds of brands spend heavily on advertising, endorsements, and storytelling. But when people vote with their hard-earned money, they never recognize the loudest voice — they recognize quality."

Battery Quality Drives Purchase Decisions

Another set of data from the report also caught Dr. Gao's attention:

• Over 80% of global consumers believe that the battery directly determines whether an electric vehicle is safe.
• 79% of consumers are more willing to pay for a vehicle equipped with a recognized high-quality battery.
• In China, 37.1% of consumers stated bluntly: if their preferred car model does not come with a CATL battery, they would rather not buy it.

Brand Trust: The Foundation of "Must-Have" Loyalty

The report attributes this "must-have" loyalty to brand trust:

• In the Chinese market, CATL's brand trust rating reaches 81%, with 39% of consumers saying they "strongly trust" CATL.
• In overseas markets, 38% of respondents said they "strongly trust" CATL, compared to 27% for LGES and 24% for BYD.

Global and Domestic Competitive Landscape

From a consumer perception perspective:

• Globally, the power battery market is now a three-way race among CATL, LGES, and Panasonic.
• In China, CATL continues to lead, with BYD following closely behind.

Deepening Roots in Henan Province

Leading battery brands popular among Henan consumers have made significant strategic investments in the region:

CATL's Luoyang Base

As one of CATL's 13 global production bases, the Luoyang Base is being built to the dual high standards of a "Lighthouse Factory" and "Zero-Carbon Factory." Once fully operational, it is expected to drive the clustered development of upstream and downstream industries, with an estimated annual output value exceeding 100 billion yuan.

Recently, CATL signed strategic cooperation agreements with five key provincial state-owned enterprises in Henan: Henan Iron & Steel Group, Henan Water Investment Group, Henan Capital Group, Henan International Group, and Super Fusion Digital Technology. The partnerships will focus on six core areas, including new energy, new energy storage, zero-carbon industry, and computing-storage integration. The parties will also work together to accelerate the upgrading of the CATL Luoyang Base.

BYD's Zhengzhou Base

At the BYD Zhengzhou base, a new vehicle rolls off the production line every 50 seconds. Inside the workshop, the BYD blade battery packaging line produces one power battery cell every 3 seconds. This core BYD technology enhances both battery safety and vehicle range. Combined with an assembly line automation rate of 98%, every new energy vehicle produced here combines quality with efficiency.

New Quality Productive Forces Accelerate in Henan

New quality productive forces, represented by automotive lithium batteries, are being rapidly cultivated in Henan. According to data from the Henan Provincial Bureau of Statistics, in the first quarter of this year:

• The combined export delivery value of the computer, communication, and other electronic equipment manufacturing sector and the automobile manufacturing sector accounted for 78.5% of the provincial total.
• These two sectors grew by 13.4% and 96.1% year-on-year, respectively.
• Lithium-ion battery production in the province increased by 95.7%, with automotive lithium-ion power batteries surging by 155.8%.

Conclusion

Brand trust is being transformed into tangible industrial supply in Henan. Relying on reliable safety quality, technological innovation, and global布局, Chinese power battery companies represented by CATL are reshaping the global competitive landscape of the industry and continuously demonstrating the strength of "Intelligent Manufacturing in China."