The battery map is still highly concentrated

The IEA’s 2026 battery chapter shows that manufacturing remains concentrated in China. This is not simply a story about the next car factory: cells, materials, production capacity and deployment each describe a different part of the chain. Source: IEA ↗

Our reading: European industrial policy should report delivered capability, not just announced capacity. A dashboard of investment promises can look impressive while leaving unresolved questions about commissioning, utilisation and who will buy the output.

Read our supply-chain dossier for the key distinctions and the implications for European industrial resilience.