In a small city of Shandong Province, bustling battery cell production is forging a new pathway of green transition as the success of niche and new energy vehicle (NEV) battery cells replaces its past resource-reliant coal industry.
In Zaozhuang nowadays, its "manufacturing champion" of lithium battery cells for golf bag carts -- Shandong Goldencell Electronics Technology Co., Ltd. (Goldencell), sees thousands of blue battery cells roll off its production lines every day.
From R&D of lithium iron phosphate cathode materials to cylindrical cell manufacturing and battery pack integration, Goldencell boasts self-developed technologies across almost all core production procedures.
With its product safety performance meeting standards of internationally-recognized certifications of UL, CE and CB, Goldencell is exporting a large part of its lithium batteries to electric golf bag cart owners abroad.
Similar green transition stories can also be spotted in other places of Zaozhuang. Not far from Goldencell, the phase II project of another battery producer Shandong Sunwoda New Energy Co., Ltd. is under busy construction.
Upon completion of the project, a rather large battery cell production base of the company and its parent Sunwoda Mobility Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (SEVB) will come into being, with its phase I project already having six cell production lines in place for battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
When related upstream and downstream projects are all operational in Zaozhuang currently, the city possesses a complete battery cell industrial chain featuring over-the-wall purchase of related raw materials, components and products.
Without long-distance transport, local advantages in cost of battery cell production are turning the city into a highland of new energy battery businesses engaged in production of electrode materials, electrolyte, insulating films and battery cells, and the testing, terminal application, disassembly and recycling of batteries as well.
In the first five months of 2026, lithium battery-related businesses across Zaozhuang saw a 53 percent year-on-year increase in revenue, with products exported to over 40 countries and regions, accounting for nearly 20 percent of Shandong's total lithium battery exports.
Already certified as a famous Chinese city for new energy batteries by industry associations in 2025, Zaozhuang will hold as usual its new energy battery industry development conference this Thursday.
While trucks are queuing up for loading in certain areas of local battery makers, Zaozhuang is forging ahead on its new track of high-quality green development.
(Edited by Duan Jing with Xinhua Silk Road, duanjing@xinhua.org)
A single purchase
