The World Economic Forum announced in an article that rising U.S.-China geopolitical tensions could jeopardize Ford Motor Company’s partnership with Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), which faces U.S. scrutiny over alleged military ties, putting electric vehicle supply chains at risk.
The issue is significant as CATL controls a large share of the global electric vehicle battery market and supplies major automakers, including Ford. The World Economic Forum reported that CATL controls roughly 37% of the global electric vehicle battery market and supplies major automakers, including Ford. The company is under U.S. scrutiny after the Department of Defense added it to a list of Chinese military-linked firms. CATL executive Pan Jian highlighted that China’s EV market has advanced rapidly thanks to public-private collaboration, while the U.S. and Europe lag (According to the World Economic Forum).
Regional concerns have also emerged in Michigan, where state Republicans have pushed to reclaim $1.7 billion in state subsidies for Ford’s Marshall battery plant after CATL was added to the Pentagon’s Chinese military companies list. The plant plans to produce lithium-iron phosphate batteries using CATL technology and has faced criticism over national security concerns (According to Michigan Advance).
The dominance of Chinese manufacturers in this sector highlights vulnerabilities for the United States in relying on foreign firms for critical components. Carbon Credits indicates that six Chinese battery manufacturers held 68.9% of global electric vehicle battery installations from January to October 2025, totaling 644.4 gigawatt-hours. CATL alone accounted for 355.2 gigawatt-hours, or a 38.1% market share, marking a 36.6% year-over-year increase (According to Carbon Credits).
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), established in 2011 and based in Ningde, China, develops and produces power battery systems, energy storage solutions, and battery materials through recycling. It leads globally with a 38% electric vehicle battery market share and has topped battery shipment rankings for eight years. CATL operates research centers and production bases internationally, focusing on innovations like lithium iron phosphate and sodium-ion batteries (According to Yahoo Finance).
