Lithium Prices Rebound, China’s Battery Industry Chain Expected to Recover in May, Says TrendForce
May 10, 2023 | TrendForceEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The ASP of battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide in China saw an MoM decline in the month of April, falling to CNY 198,000/ton (-39%) and CNY 266,000/ton (-33%), respectively, according to TrendForce research. Although the MoM decline in prices has expanded, lithium salt prices began to show signs of stabilization and rebounded in late April. Additionally, prices of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6)—a key raw material used in electrolytes— have recently started to rise again, prices of anode materials, iron phosphate, and lithium battery copper foil have almost bottomed out, and China’s EV battery industry chain is gradually stabilizing.
Lithium salt prices experienced a five-month decline before stabilizing and rebounding in April. This allowed the prices of various li-ion battery products to return to levels observed prior to the surge in demand at the end of 2021. Specifically, in April, the ASP of EV square ternary cells, LFP cells, and pouch ternary power cells were CNY 0.83/Wh, CNY 0.74/Wh, and CNY 0.87/Wh, respectively. Taking a look at battery cells used in energy storage equipment, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) storage cells declined 10.5% MoM in April to around CNY 0.74/Wh. However, the price of LFP materials has recently begun to rise, and businesses are receiving more orders. As for battery cells used in consumer electronics, the ASP of cobalt lithium (LCO) cells in April was CNY 8.54/Ah (USD 1.24)—a 9% MoM decline—and the market has been showing signs of recovery.
TrendForce observes that Chinese EV battery manufacturers are nearing the end of their inventory reduction efforts, and the relationship between supply and demand has gradually normalized after more than a quarter period of market adjustments. Furthermore, current battery material prices are stabilizing and market demand is steadily increasing, indicating that China’s battery industry chain is gradually recovering. Total recovery is expected in June as downstream demand continues to pick up.
Suggested Items
The Chemical Connection: Reducing Etch System Water Usage, Part 2
05/02/2024 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical ConnectionIn my last column, I reviewed some relatively simple ways to reduce water usage in existing etch systems: cutting down cooling coil water flow, adding chillers to replace plant water for cooling, lowering flow rate nozzles for rinses, etc. This month, I’ll continue with more ways to control water usage in your etcher. Most of these are not easily retrofittable to existing equipment but should be given serious consideration when new equipment is contemplated. With the right combination of add-ons, it is possible to bring the amount of water used in an etch system to almost zero.
Designer’s Notebook: What Designers Need to Know About Manufacturing, Part 2
04/24/2024 | Vern Solberg -- Column: Designer's NotebookThe printed circuit board (PCB) is the primary base element for providing the interconnect platform for mounting and electrically joining electronic components. When assessing PCB design complexity, first consider the component area and board area ratio. If the surface area for the component interface is restricted, it may justify adopting multilayer or multilayer sequential buildup (SBU) PCB fabrication to enable a more efficient sub-surface circuit interconnect.
Insulectro’s 'Storekeepers' Extend Their Welcome to Technology Village at IPC APEX EXPO
04/03/2024 | InsulectroInsulectro, the largest distributor of materials for use in the manufacture of PCBs and printed electronics, welcomes attendees to its TECHNOLOGY VILLAGE during this year’s IPC APEX EXPO at the Anaheim Convention Center, April 9-11, 2024.
ENNOVI Introduces a New Flexible Circuit Production Process for Low Voltage Connectivity in EV Battery Cell Contacting Systems
04/03/2024 | PRNewswireENNOVI, a mobility electrification solutions partner, introduces a more advanced and sustainable way of producing flexible circuits for low voltage signals in electric vehicle (EV) battery cell contacting systems.
Heavy Copper PCBs: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Fabrication, Part 1
04/01/2024 | Yash Sutariya, Saturn Electronics ServicesThey call me Sparky. This is due to my talent for getting shocked by a variety of voltages and because I cannot seem to keep my hands out of power control cabinets. While I do not have the time to throw the knife switch to the off position, that doesn’t stop me from sticking screwdrivers into the fuse boxes. In all honesty, I’m lucky to be alive. Fortunately, I also have a talent for building high-voltage heavy copper circuit boards. Since this is where I spend most of my time, I can guide you through some potential design for manufacturability (DFM) hazards you may encounter with heavy copper design.