Liyang Battery Hub
溧阳动力电池产业集群
Liyang represents China's most successful county-level industrial transformation — from a 2,000-year-old garden city to a global power battery hub in under a decade. The 2016 CATL investment marked the beginning, and by 2025, output reached 139.2 GWh (+39% YoY) with 11–12% of China's national battery output and sales. The hub's standout feature is supply chain density: 97% completeness — the highest of any county-level city — with 100+ companies. CATL Phase IV went from contract to first product in just 363 days, enabled by the "Liyang Immediate" permitting platform. 30 state-backed investment funds totaling ¥90B (~$12.5B) provide capital infrastructure. The China Academy of Sciences research center (TIES) has achieved breakthroughs including the world's first 100-ton+ sulfide solid electrolyte production line. For investors, Liyang offers exposure to CATL's manufacturing ecosystem, next-generation battery technology, and 100+ supply chain enterprises, with industrial sales revenue reaching ¥397B (~$55B) in 2025.
Established
2016
Liyang City (溧阳市)
Land Area
N/A
Liyang
Entity Type
Innovation Zone
County-level city industrial cluster (county under Changzhou Municipality)
Anchor Firms
4
profiled
Key Metrics
Power battery output
139.2 GWh (+39% YoY)
2025
Power battery sales
143.7 GWh (+26% YoY)
2025
National share (output & sales)
11–12%
2025
Supply chain completeness
97%
2025
Battery chain enterprises
100+
2025
National "little giants"
26
2026
Liyang GDP
¥174.6B (~$24B)
2025
Industrial sales revenue
¥397B (~$55B)
2025
State-backed investment funds
¥90B (~$12.5B) across 30 funds
2025
Lighthouse Factories
1 (Jiangsu Era)
2025
CATL Phase IV speed
363 days (contract → product)
2025
Industrial Positioning
Primary Sectors
Secondary Sectors
Strategic Role
Core of Changzhou's "New Energy Capital" (新能源之都); one of China's "Power Battery Capitals"; national demonstration zone for power battery industry clustering.
Policy Alignment
- Jiangsu Province new energy strategy
- Changzhou "Power Battery Capital" positioning
- National "dual carbon" strategy
Designation History
CATL Investment
CATL established Jiangsu Era (江苏时代) in Liyang, marking the beginning of the battery cluster
CAS Research Center
China Academy of Sciences Yangtze River Delta Physics Research Center established
National SME Cluster
Liyang Power Battery Cluster designated as National SME Characteristic Industrial Cluster (首批)
MIIT Re-verification
Cluster passed MIIT re-verification; production and sales ranked #1 nationally among county-level cities
Jiangsu Era Phase III
Jiangsu Era Phase III (60 GWh) signed — 8th billion-yuan CATL project in Liyang
Current Designations
Anchor Companies
Jiangsu Era (CATL subsidiary)
江苏时代
CATL's largest domestic manufacturing base and "second headquarters"; 1 of only 3 global Lighthouse Factories in lithium battery industry; 55.5 GWh output, 31.32B yuan (H1 2025, +30.2%); anchors 100+ supply chain enterprises
SAIC Era / Era SAIC
上汽时代/时代上汽
CATL-SAIC joint venture for power battery manufacturing; located adjacent to Jiangsu Era; completes "battery + vehicle" ecosystem
Putailai
璞泰来
Listed company; major battery materials supplier (anode materials, separators); part of Liyang's 3km supply chain circle
Weilan New Energy
卫蓝新能源
40.7% output growth (2024); solid-state battery technology leader; represents next-generation battery technology
Location & Logistics
Geographic Scope
Liyang High-Tech Zone (溧阳高新区) as core; includes Zhongguancun High-Tech Industrial Park.
Transport & Connectivity
Shanghai ~80 min by HSR; Nanjing 26 min by HSR, 45 min to Nanjing international airport; 6 international airports within reach; direct waterway access to coastal ports. Two high-speed rail stations.
Governing Body
Liyang Municipal Government / Liyang High-Tech Zone Management Committee (溧阳市人民政府 / 溧阳高新区管委会)
Official Website
www.liyang.gov.cn/Also Known As
Liyang Power Battery Cluster, Changzhou New Energy Capital Battery Hub, 溧阳市新能源产业
Analysis
Strengths
- Unmatched supply chain density (97% completeness — highest county-level)
- CATL "second headquarters" with Lighthouse Factory designation
- 2025 battery output 139.2 GWh (+39% YoY); 11–12% national share
- 363-day contract-to-product speed (CATL Phase IV); "Liyang Immediate" platform
- 30 state-backed funds totaling ¥90B (~$12.5B)
- Solid-state battery breakthroughs (CAS research center)
- 100+ enterprise ecosystem; 26 national "little giants"
- Exceptional logistics: 80 min to Shanghai, 26 min to Nanjing by HSR
Caveats & Limitations
- County-level administrative limitations and talent constraints
- Extreme CATL concentration risk
- Limited brand recognition outside industry
- Competition from Ningde (CATL HQ) and other battery hubs
- Some metrics are promotional; land constraints as cluster scales