According to Mysteel's research, China's production of ternary cathode materials reached 87,600 tonnes in May 2026, representing an increase of 6.43% month-on-month and 43.41% year-on-year.
In May 2026, domestic production of ternary cathode materials continued to grow mildly. On the supply side, the concentrated launch of new electric vehicle (EV) models boosted stocking demand as downstream battery cell manufacturers held positive expectations for future orders and were relatively proactive in taking deliveries, which directly drove higher production schedules at cathode material plants.
Besides, overseas markets, particularly Europe, showed strong automotive sales performance, with positive sales momentum expected to continue into the second quarter, thereby supporting export demand for ternary cathode materials.
Entering June, the production growth rate is expected to moderate, though orders at leading cathode plants are expected to remain relatively stable. Overall, the growth in ternary cathode material production in May was driven by a combination of recovering end-user consumption, pre-stocking for new EV models, overseas exports, and routine restocking demand.
China's ternary cathode material production in June 2026 is estimated to reach 91,700 tonnes, up 4.74% month-on-month and 49.84% year-on-year.
Edited by Cassie Li, lixiangying@mysteel.com
