Case Study

CATL: Global battery supremacy

8 pages
February 2022
Reference: IMD-7-2302

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) was founded in 1999 under the name ATL. Initially, it had no technology of its own, and the founder, Zeng Yuqun, traveled to the US and acquired a patent for a lithium-ion polymer (LiPo) battery from Bell Laboratories. Then, through a series of technological breakthroughs that came one after the other, CATL became the supplier of Apple, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. On 29 July 2021, CATL unveiled its first generation of sodium-ion batteries, an important pivot away from lithium-based batteries. In addition to sodium-ion batteries, for many years CATL has been deeply involved in researching and developing solid-state batteries, which are deemed to be the most promising technology to improve energy density significantly. Through continuous technology innovation, CATL enjoyed a market value of roughly $203 billion by July 2021. This, according to The Economist, was greater than the combined value of lg Chem, Panasonic and BYD the world’s second-, third- and fourth-largest battery producers.

Learning Objective
  • In a field where technology is king, the primary success factor must be continuous technological innovation and breakthroughs
  • Win over your benchmark customer first
  • Government support is essential for technology innovation
Keywords
Electric Vehicle, Technology, Battery Technology, Technology Management
Settings
South-Eastern Asia, China
CATL, Automotive, Automobiles, Automotive, Electric Vehicles
1999-2021
Type
Published Sources
Copyright
© 2022
Available Languages
English
Case clearing houses
IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Looking for something specific?
IMD's faculty and research teams publish articles, case studies, books and reports on a wide range of topics