The era of "bottom-of-the-barrel" pricing in the energy storage market is over. In less than three weeks, seven industry leaders, including Sinexcel and EVE Energy, have collectively raised prices by up to 30%. Beyond the supply chain crisis caused by AI chips "hogging" wafer capacity, the new battery consumption tax effective September 1st has become the final straw for low-cost strategies.
 

Triggered by a price adjustment letter from Sinexcel, the energy storage supply chain has undergone a massive price restructuring in just over a fortnight. Below is a summary of the major companies and their price adjustments:

Table 1: Recent Price Adjustments in the Energy Storage Supply Chain
 

This round of adjustments is not arbitrary; manufacturers are being squeezed by two massive new variables:

1. September 1st: The Return of Battery Consumption Tax

This is a "hard cost" imposed at the state level. A new policy from the Ministry of Finance ends the 11-year tax-exempt status for lithium batteries.

Current Status: 0% tax rate.

New Policy: Starting September 1, 2026, a 2% consumption tax will be levied on lithium-ion batteries.

Next Year: Starting September 1, 2027, the rate will increase to the full 4% standard.

Analysis: For energy storage integrators with razor-thin margins, a 2% tax is often the difference between profit and loss.

2. AI Computing vs. Energy Storage: The Wafer War

Core components in energy storage systems, such as IGBTs (Power Semiconductors), are facing a supply crisis. As AI giants like NVIDIA demand massive wafer capacity, foundries are shifting production toward high-margin AI chips, slashing capacity for energy storage components.

Current Reality: Prices for magnetic components and surface-mount resistors have surged by 50% to 800%.

Result: Even with cash in hand, supply is scarce. Manufacturers must raise prices to offset these extreme procurement costs.

Industry Consensus: Moving from "Cheap Volume" to "Value Pricing"

Over the past two years, the industry was locked in a price war that saw rates nearly halved. However, with rising material costs and new taxes, that path has reached a dead end.

Quality-Based Pricing: Industry leaders are shifting the focus to "Levelized Cost of Storage" (LCOS). A 2% higher upfront price is justifiable if it results in 3% higher efficiency or 10% lower failure rates over the system's life.

Market Consolidation: Small-scale assembly shops without technical depth are expected to exit the market in H2 2026 under the dual pressure of the consumption tax and the "chip famine."

Policy Documents: Ministry of Finance/State Administration of Taxation, Announcement on Adjusting Consumption Tax Policies for Certain Batteries (No. 26 [2026]).

Corporate Notices: Official price adjustment letters from Sinexcel (300693) dated July 12, and EVE Energy (300014) dated August 1.

Industry Reports: OFweek Energy Storage July Supply Chain Survey; Securities Times investigation on "AI Computing Occupying IGBT Capacity."

Market Intelligence: Direct sales policy feedback from four major PCS and charging station manufacturers in South and East China.

Editorial Note: For buyers, the current window is the last chance to lock in costs before the September tax kicks in. For manufacturers, raising prices is now a matter of survival.