China moves power lithium batteries by rail routinely | 100-ton CATL train hits Shanghai in one run
TL;DR
On the evening of July 12, a freight train hauling 100 tons of CATL CB6H0 power lithium batteries left Yibin Port Rail for Shanghai — over 4x the ~24-ton container of the November 2024 first pilot. Officials now describe rail transport as "normalized." SF Airlines already ran the first commercial air-freight of triple-lithium batteries in November 2025.
At 6 p.m. on July 12, a freight train loaded with 100 tons of CATL CB6H0 power lithium batteries left Yibin Port Rail in Sichuan, bound for Shanghai's Jinshan Wei West Station. That's more than 4x the single ~24-ton container of the November 2024 pilot shipment, and officials now describe the policy tempo as moving from "pilot breakthrough" to normalized operation.
Power lithium batteries have long been classified as Class 9 dangerous goods in China, limited to road transport with high cost and constrained capacity. After China State Railway Group issued pilot operating conditions in 2024, Chengdu Railway Bureau, Yibin's Commerce Bureau and Sanjiang Tongda coordinated end-to-end management, and on November 19, 2024 the first battery trains departed simultaneously from Yibin and Guiyang. CATL has already built 270GWh of capacity in Yibin, with another 80GWh project close to production — transport demand is climbing in lockstep.
Air freight is catching up. In November 2025, a cargo flight carrying power lithium batteries with new safety gear flew from Ezhou Huahu Airport to Shenzhen Baoan, completing SF Airlines' first commercial multi-pack triple-lithium air freight. Rail 4x-ing, air breaking ice — Chinese batteries have gone from road-only to rail-water-air in parallel.
via CnEVPost / IT 之家
Power lithium batteries have long been classified as Class 9 dangerous goods in China, limited to road transport with high cost and constrained capacity. After China State Railway Group issued pilot operating conditions in 2024, Chengdu Railway Bureau, Yibin's Commerce Bureau and Sanjiang Tongda coordinated end-to-end management, and on November 19, 2024 the first battery trains departed simultaneously from Yibin and Guiyang. CATL has already built 270GWh of capacity in Yibin, with another 80GWh project close to production — transport demand is climbing in lockstep.
Air freight is catching up. In November 2025, a cargo flight carrying power lithium batteries with new safety gear flew from Ezhou Huahu Airport to Shenzhen Baoan, completing SF Airlines' first commercial multi-pack triple-lithium air freight. Rail 4x-ing, air breaking ice — Chinese batteries have gone from road-only to rail-water-air in parallel.
via CnEVPost / IT 之家
