Analyzing the Chinese Battery-Electric Vehicle Supply Chain Using Network Methodology

China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry features a wide range of vehicles equipped with various battery technologies. This study utilizes network analysis to explore the complex relationships within this ecosystem, focusing specifically on 15 major battery manufacturers, 90 EV models using these batteries, and the 28 automotive brands producing these vehicles. Traditionally, the Chinese battery market is seen as a duopoly dominated by CATL and FDB (a BYD subsidiary) in terms of market share, with a significant gap between them and other competitors. However, network analysis reveals findings that slightly diverge from these common perceptions. While CATL is indeed confirmed as the most central and crucial entity within the battery-EV supply chain network, FDB does not hold a similarly central position compared to the third-to-fifth-ranked manufacturers such as CALB, SVOLT, and Gotion. As a result, the diffusion of BYD battery innovations seems to be confined largely to its own vehicle models. This suggests that innovations from other, less prominent battery manufacturers, often overshadowed by the top two, may play a more significant role in enhancing the overall competitiveness of the Chinese EV industry.