BCI statistics reveal a notable rebound in transportation battery shipments during the third quarter of 2025.
Overall battery shipments rose by 10% compared with Q2, driven by strong replacement demand across several categories.
Passenger car batteries led the recovery, with OE shipments up 2% and replacement shipments surging 23.7% quarter on quarter. Heavy duty commercial batteries also recorded robust replacement activity at 19.3%. By contrast, marine/RV (-15.4%) and golf car (-9.7%) shipments declined, while general utility batteries saw the steepest fall, down 37.8% from Q2, reflecting seasonal demand.
Advanced technology batteries continued to strengthen their market position. Lithium shipments grew 39.5% compared with the prior quarter, while AGM batteries posted solid year-to-date gains across passenger car (22.6%), heavy duty commercial (14.5%), and marine/RV (7.6%) applications.
Industrial battery trends were more mixed. The motive segment softened, with lead shipments down 10.4% from Q2. In contrast, lithium motive shipments rose 21.6%, and the rail segment expanded by 48%, achieving its highest sales since 2023. Industrial stationary batteries dipped 2.6% quarter on quarter, though year-to-date shipments remain 13.2% higher than in 2024.
