In May of this year, CATL’s subsidiary, CATL, launched an portable power supply called “Rural Times”, which features CATL’s lithium iron phosphate energy storage cells as its selling point; Coincidentally, in May, Lifan Technology focused on portable power supplies and launched five products with different power levels. On the other hand, Jackery, an electrical assistant who is deeply involved in the field of portable power supply for solar charging, has directly released the brand’s fastest solar charging and energy storage product to date.
The sustained popularity of the camping economy has driven the development of a series of surrounding industries, which has also brought the previously low-key branch of the mobile power industry – outdoor mobile power – into the public eye.
1. Multiple advantages: Portable power supply becomes the “best companion” for outdoor activities
Portable power supply, also known as portable energy storage power supply or portable lithium-ion battery energy storage power supply, is equipped with a high energy density lithium-ion battery, which can store electricity on its own. Compared to traditional generators, portable power sources do not require oil burning, maintenance, or the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. They have the advantages of simple operation, low noise, long cycle life, and stable and reliable overall performance. At the same time, portable power sources are lightweight and easy to carry, usually not exceeding 18 kilograms. Therefore, in recent years, whether it is outdoor camping, friend gatherings, or outdoor shooting and other outdoor activities, the shadow of outdoor mobile power can be seen.
“I am a member of the ‘Electricity Scare’ group,” consumer Ms. Yang joked to reporters, “Because when working outdoors, besides cameras and drones, there are many devices that need to be charged, and I am very concerned about the power supply.” The reporter learned that portable power supplies have multifunctional output interfaces, such as AC output, USB output, and car charging interface output, which users can use in different scenarios, More convenient in terms of user experience.
In fact, in addition to leisure areas such as self driving tourism and camping gatherings, portable power sources are indispensable in emergency preparedness, medical rescue, environmental monitoring, and surveying and mapping exploration. During the flood season in Henan in 2021, portable power supplies, along with numerous black technology products such as drones, surface rescue robots, and power bridges, became a unique “rescue tool” in the flood control and disaster relief system.
2. Market heat: Major enterprises are entering the market one after another
With the development of the new energy vehicle industry in recent years, the development of lithium batteries has been driven, and the production cost of portable power sources has been greatly reduced. Especially with the proposal of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” goals, portable power sources have attracted more attention as a typical example of new energy empowering outdoor operations and clean outdoor living electricity.
On May 24th, the reporter conducted a search on Tianyancha using the keyword “mobile power”. Data showed that there are currently over 19727 enterprises in China that are in operation, existing, moving in, or moving out. The business scope includes “mobile power”, of which 54.67% were established within 5 years, and nearly 6.97% have a registered capital of over 10 million yuan.
“This is the fastest-growing emerging industry I have ever seen,” sighed Jiang Jing, the head of Tmall’s 3C digital accessories industry, in an interview. “Three years ago, there were only one or two portable power supply brands with very small transaction volumes. During Tmall’s” 6.18 “period in 2021, the transaction volume of top portable power supply brands had already surged to the top ten in the 3C digital accessories industry, with growth rates of over 300% in the past three years.”, In July 2021, the “Portable Power Supply” zone was opened, and 22 brands were among the first to settle in.
“Portable power supply is a very important part of it,” said the person in charge of Lifan Technology in an interview. To this end, the company will focus on the outdoor portable energy storage market segment, with expanding online C-end consumption as the breakthrough point and increasing its layout. In addition to Ningde Times and Lifan Technology mentioned earlier, technology giants Huawei and socket leader Bull have all launched related products on e-commerce websites.
3. Good policy: The development of portable power sources is facing favorable conditions
The reporter learned that driven by factors such as the development of energy storage technology, environmental protection, and the decrease in raw material prices, the country is vigorously promoting the development of the portable energy storage industry. The country has successively issued relevant policies such as the Action Plan for the Development of Energy Storage Technology Disciplines and the Implementation Plan for the Development of New Energy Storage during the 14th Five Year Plan period, supporting the development of energy storage technology, conducting energy storage project demonstrations, formulating relevant regulations and standards, and deploying industrial development plans. The development of portable power sources has also received favorable policy support.
According to data, the global battery energy storage market is expected to reach $11.04 billion in 2025, with a market size growth of nearly $5 billion. Under the influence of climate change, fluctuations in fuel prices, booming outdoor activities, the cultivation of low-carbon consumption habits among the public, and appropriate policy tools, the space for portable power is expected to reach a scale of billions.
In the long run, as a new generation of portable power solutions, China’s portable power supply is still in the early stages of development, and the market is not standardized and mature enough. For consumers, the explosive growth of portable power supply has brought fresh blood into the industry, bringing more new technologies to portable power products, such as the widespread use of fast charging technology and enhanced cycle life. For operating enterprises, portable energy storage products mainly include battery cells The control system and thermal management modules are relatively simple in composition, especially for low capacity products, which do not have high technical barriers to entry. However, the considerable production capacity and market share of domestic lithium batteries and inverters, as well as the increasingly mature energy storage outsourcing industry chain, make it easier for new players to quickly enter the portable energy storage track. This also means that once the entire track explodes and grows into a scale of tens of billions as expected by institutions, Large companies are entering the market one after another, which not only helps to quickly clarify the industry, but also poses a greater challenge for some small and medium-sized enterprises.