[3] The company is the biggest EV and energy storage battery manufacturer in the world, with a global market share of around 37% and 40% respectively in 2023.

The company started as a spin-off of Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), a previous business founded by Robin Zeng in 1999.

In 2011,[7] A group of Chinese investors, led by Zeng and vice-chairman Huang Shilin, spun off the EV battery operations of ATL into the new company CATL after acquiring an 85% stake.

In 2011, China required foreign automakers to transfer crucial technology to domestic companies in order to receive subsidies for electric vehicles.

[10][8][11] China's dominant position in the battery manufacturing supply chain, including the control over rare-earth materials, provided an ideal foundation for Chinese companies like CATL to decouple from the monopoly of Western technology.

It started to provide components to the supply chains of European and American vehicle manufacturers amidst competition from Panasonic and L.G.

[14] In January 2017, CATL announced a strategic partnership with Valmet Automotive, focusing on project management, engineering and battery pack supply.

[41] In August 2024, American legislators Marco Rubio and John Moolenaar asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to add CATL to a list of companies prohibited from receiving U.S. military contracts.

[43][44] In December 2024, CATL announced to its suppliers that it is willing to provide them with financial support to speed up the technology innovation in battery materials and equipment.

[45] On 12 December 2024, it was reported that CATL will collaborate with Stellantis in a joint-venture to build a large-scale lithium iron phosphate battery plant in Zaragoza, an investment worth €4.1 billion.

[47] On 11 February 2025, CATL filed for a secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, aiming to raise over $5 billion to fund international expansion plans including projects in Hungary, Spain, and Indonesia.

[55][56] CATL also partners with Valmet Automotive,[15][16] BMW,[18] Ford,[27][28][35][36] VinFast,[29] and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.

[58] According to Kumar, unlike competitors such as LG Energy Solution or SK Innovation, CATL is more willing to adapt outside technology, as opposed to applying a full in-house design.

[59] In December 2023, Duke Energy disconnected CATL batteries from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune due to security concerns.

[64][65] In June 2024, a group of U.S. lawmakers asked the United States Department of Homeland Security to add CATL to an import ban list under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.