Original content by New Energy Insights (ID: xinnengyuanqianzhan)

2957 words, 8-minute read

The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is in full swing, with many households embracing these green machines. However, beneath this seemingly robust market lies a pressing issue—many EV owners know little about the batteries powering their vehicles.

What brand of battery do I have? How can I check which battery my car is equipped with? What are the differences between batteries from different brands? These questions remain a mystery to many.

This phenomenon not only highlights the information asymmetry consumers face during their purchasing decisions but also reflects the inadequacies of manufacturers and dealers in providing essential information.

Contrary to salespeople's claims, batteries are far from being "all the same." They vary significantly in energy density, safety, and lifespan. Making an informed choice about your battery is crucial, both for individual consumers and within the competitive industrial landscape.

1. The Battery Quandary: Eight Out of Ten Car Owners Are Confused

Using the popular saying, "Seven out of ten men are silly, eight are dull," to describe car owners' current understanding of EV batteries is not an exaggeration.

According to a survey by J.D. Power, over 85% of Chinese EV owners lacked a detailed understanding of their vehicle's battery type, performance parameters, driving range, and other key information when purchasing.

Jiang Hong (pseudonym), an employee at a major internet company in Shenzhen, jokingly calls himself a true "beauty enthusiast." He was drawn to an EV from a renowned brand primarily due to its stylish and eye-catching design. However, after driving it for a few months, he found that the vehicle's actual driving range was much lower than the manufacturer's advertised value. When Jiang Hong contacted the 4S store salesperson to inquire, he received a vague response.

"The 4S store said that regardless of the brand, batteries will have discrepancies in labeling and experience some attenuation during use. They claimed those advertised values are all tested in a lab and can't be exactly the same as real-world driving," Jiang Hong said helplessly. Ultimately, the 4S store offered him a new car model as a placation.

Image/Comparison of NEDC and actual driving range for 9 models

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Insights on the internet

It's common for consumers to purchase cars without knowing the battery status. Many receive insufficient product explanations before buying, leading to various problems or even safety risks later.

For instance, a recent "battery replacement scandal" involving a domestic brand caused an uproar. The original battery cells were suspected of having quality defects, posing a risk of spontaneous combustion. The manufacturer locked the charging power of the car owners through the backend while requiring them to come in for inspection under the guise of free battery safety checks.

In reality, it was a bait-and-switch tactic. The safety inspection was a sham, and the real goal was to replace the "time bombs" as soon as possible.

During these interactions, many experienced car owners who had replaced their batteries didn't know what brand of battery their cars were equipped with. They only knew that many cars in their batch had issues like power locking, battery failures, and even fire and explosion events.

More worryingly, some manufacturers deliberately downplay or even conceal important battery characteristics during promotion. For example, some brands may not proactively inform users about the significance of the battery temperature management system, which is crucial for ensuring battery life and safety.

Image/Thermal management system with cabin air conditioning + battery cooling and motor waste heat recovery

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Insights on the internet

A study of 20 popular EVs shows that models with advanced thermal management systems have an average annual battery capacity degradation rate of only 2%, while models lacking such systems have a rate of over 6%. This means the latter may experience faster declines in driving range over time.

2. Are All Batteries Created Equal? Some Manufacturers Have Already Reaped What They Sowed

Therefore, automotive power batteries are far from being "all the same."

There are significant differences in the technical levels of major battery manufacturers, and their product quality and service guarantees vary. Different types of batteries (such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and ternary material (NCM)) have notable differences in cost, energy density, safety, and cycle life. However, many consumers don't understand these differences until problems arise.

Image/Differences between lithium iron phosphate and ternary lithium

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Insights on the internet

Safety is paramount. Battery safety is always a top concern for consumers. No one dares to drive with a battery that poses a risk of spontaneous combustion.

Recently, The Beijing News released the "2024 Automobile Recall Analysis Report." The data shows that in 2024, 295,000 new energy vehicles were recalled due to battery issues, primarily because of internal faults in the power batteries, which may lead to short circuits or fires, posing safety hazards.

Undoubtedly, this not only brings huge economic losses to enterprises but also, more importantly, damages their brand image and consumer trust.

Apart from battery safety, energy density, lifespan, and maintenance convenience are also crucial indicators for measuring battery performance. High-end and high-quality batteries must have industry-leading energy density and cycle times.

So, how can consumers choose such good batteries?

A month ago, the fourth J.D. Power Smart Electric Vehicle New Luxury Rankings were officially announced. Among the 20 models included in the four rankings of "Top 5 Pure Electric Sedans," "Top 5 Pure Electric Sports Cars," "Top 5 Pure Electric SUVs," and "Top 5 Pure Electric MPVs," 75% of the models were equipped with CATL batteries.

Image/J.D. Power's four rankings

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Insights on the internet

"Good batteries" are now tangible. In other words, consumers who choose these models are likely to opt for high-quality batteries. However, it doesn't mean that only expensive electric cars use high-quality batteries. Observant consumers must have noticed that Geely Xingyuan, priced below 100,000 yuan, is also equipped with CATL batteries, with 50,000 vehicles delivered in 80 days.

Image/Geely Xingyuan

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Insights on the internet

The masses are sharp-eyed.

In contrast, some battery manufacturers' products, despite having lower initial costs, are prone to rapid performance decline and difficult maintenance issues during long-term use. Data shows that under the same usage conditions, the remaining capacity of high-end brand batteries can reach 85% after three years of use, while low-end products may drop to around 70%.

Winter driving range performance is also a key indicator for measuring battery performance. Some users have reported that the driving range of EVs from certain brands can shrink significantly in cold weather, severely affecting the user experience.

According to test results released by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC), when driving the same model of EV in a -10℃ environment, brands equipped with high-quality batteries can maintain 80% of the original driving range, while poorer brands can only achieve 60% or even less. This difference directly impacts users' daily travel convenience and satisfaction, especially in cold regions where stable driving range performance is crucial.

3. Batteries Matter! Batteries Matter! Batteries Matter!

For potential buyers, understanding and valuing battery selection when purchasing EVs is crucial. The right choice not only ensures longer lifespan and higher safety but also achieves long-term cost savings and convenience.

Female car owner Weiwei (pseudonym) is a wise chooser. Despite being a woman, she is formidable in selecting and buying cars, particularly in her attention to details like batteries, motors, tires, etc. Before choosing a car, she conducted extensive research on the brands and performance of components, even distinguishing between batches from different factories.

This is clear consumption. Ultimately, Weiwei chose a car equipped with high-performance batteries. The car's battery not only provided stable power output but also had faster charging speeds and slower degradation, enabling her to easily handle long-distance travel needs.

However, Weiwei admitted, "It's still quite time-consuming to check the information of these components in our country. Many car companies simply won't disclose key information about major components, especially battery details. The same model may use batteries from different brands, and these batteries may have significantly different performances."

According to Weiwei's experience, to find out what brand of battery your EV is equipped with, you can directly consult the car salesperson. If refused, you can search for the model's "parameter configuration" on professional websites like Autohome to find out the battery cell brand.

Image/Professional websites can query vehicle battery cell information

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Insights on the internet

There are more channels to obtain battery brand information. For example, during the vehicle inspection stage, there's usually the entire vehicle model number under the B-pillar of the vehicle. By searching the "Road Motor Vehicle Manufacturer and Product Information Inquiry System," you can obtain the technical parameters of the automotive product, making it clear at a glance.

Image/Nameplate information located on the B-pillar

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Insights on the internet

It's worth mentioning that in 2025, some car companies are adopting a mixed installation method for EV batteries, known as "battery blind boxes." In other words, the same model is equipped with batteries from different cell brands. Whether consumers choose a world-renowned battery brand or a lesser-known "small manufacturer" established just a few years ago is entirely up to luck.

Upon knowing the truth, some are naturally overjoyed, while others are dejected. In the long run, choosing a battery with strong product strength can reduce maintenance costs. Research shows that the total cost of ownership (TCO) of high-quality batteries throughout their lifecycle is usually 20% to 30% lower than that of ordinary batteries. This is because high-quality batteries offer better durability and stability, reducing additional expenses due to frequent repairs or replacements.

For enterprises, if they want more "repeat customers," while committing to innovation and technological progress, they must always prioritize consumer interests. Only by ensuring product safety and convenience can they remain invincible in the increasingly fierce market competition.

Clearly, whether at the individual consumer level or within the industrial competition landscape, paying attention to and making the best battery choice is crucial. In 2025, let's hope the EV industry has fewer tricks like "battery blind boxes," allowing consumers to buy EVs clearly and use them with peace of mind.