Why Lithium Battery Cell Prices Are Rising | Trusted OEM ODM Manufacturer-Why choose OneSun ?-OneSun

Battery Cell Prices Enter an Upward Cycle: Raw Materials, Policies, and Demand Converge, and the Procurement Window is Narrowing

Since the fourth quarter of 2025, a clear and profound change has been occurring in the lithium battery industry chain – the bottom of battery cell prices is being rapidly raised. From upstream raw material spot price indices to the midstream policy environment and downstream customer order trends, multiple signals simultaneously point to the same conclusion: lithium batteries are entering a new price increase cycle.

I. Raw Materials Recover Across the Board, Lithium Carbonate Enters a Medium-to-Long-Term Upward Channel

The commodity spot price index from the "Kaipanla" software clearly shows that in recent times, the prices of various raw materials highly related to lithium batteries have risen significantly. Key varieties such as industrial-grade lithium carbonate, battery-grade lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, and lithium iron phosphate have shown a continuous upward trend over the past 20 and 60 days, with some varieties experiencing double-digit percentage increases in this period.

Combining this with the price trends of non-ferrous metals industry websites over the past five years, it can be seen that after a period of deep adjustment, lithium carbonate is currently at the starting point of a new supply-demand rebalancing. On the one hand, terminal demand from new energy vehicles, energy storage, and power tools continues to grow; on the other hand, the release of new capacity is slowing down, and the concentration of high-quality mineral resources is increasing, making it easier for raw material prices to form a trend of upward movement. Industry experts generally expect that in the next 1-2 years, the overall price of core raw materials for lithium batteries will maintain an upward or high-level fluctuating pattern, which will directly push up the manufacturing cost of battery cells.

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II. China Cancels Battery-Related Export Tax Rebates, Further Transmitting Cost Pressure Downstream

In addition to raw material factors, policy changes should not be ignored. Recently, China officially adjusted and canceled export tax rebates for some batteries and related products. The cancellation of tax rebates means that battery manufacturing companies need to absorb the tax costs that were previously covered by the policy in the export process. This change will be directly reflected in battery cell quotations.

For lithium battery companies that primarily export, profit margins are further compressed, making price transmission an inevitable choice. In the short term, some companies may buffer the impact through inventory or temporary price concessions, but in the medium to long term, a rebound in battery cell prices is almost unavoidable. For downstream customers, waiting and watching may lead to missing the current cost-effective procurement window.

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III. Procurement Timing Determines Cost; Securing Orders is More Important Than Price Comparison

Against the backdrop of rising raw material prices and increased policy-related costs, battery cell procurement is transitioning from a "buyer's market" back to a "balanced or even seller's market." Experience shows that during price upward cycles, securing orders and locking in prices in advance is often more cost-effective than repeatedly comparing prices. This is especially true for customers with stable project delivery plans; the earlier orders are confirmed, the better it is for controlling overall BOM costs and delivery risks.

As a world-renowned lithium-ion battery brand manufacturer, ONESUN has long focused on providing global customers with highly reliable OEM and ODM lithium-ion battery solutions. ONESUN possesses a mature system in raw material supply, process design, quality control, and delivery capabilities, enabling it to help customers achieve both cost optimization and stable supply during price fluctuation cycles.

The current window of opportunity is narrowing. If you have a clear or potential need for lithium-ion battery procurement, we recommend that you contact the ONESUN team as soon as possible to discuss solutions and finalize orders, using certainty to hedge against market uncertainty. Planning ahead before the next round of price increases is the most prudent choice.

Article Source: Lithium battery manufacturer - ONESUN China

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