A recent report on CCTV’s Financial Investigation exposed the malpractice of reusing and reselling second-life and dismantled battery cells across the battery industry. Many consumers have found that lithium batteries with identical rated specifications can have service lives differing by several times.
The root cause lies not in external parameters, but in cells — the core component of every battery.
On May 10, CCTV’s Financial Investigation uncovered a grey supply chain within the battery sector. To cut costs, some manufacturers disassemble used batteries, repackage second-life cells, old stock and dismantled cells, and put them back on the market. These counterfeit products look identical to genuine ones and share the same nominal parameters, yet carry severe potential safety hazards in actual use.
Consumers only see uniform voltage, capacity and runtime figures on product labels, while the cell sources and quality levels vary drastically behind the scenes.
Amid fierce market competition, some manufacturers assemble batteries using cells of questionable origins, including:
Second-life cells
Refurbished dismantled cells
Mixed cells from different production batches
Long-term inventory cells
Though these cells can pass basic performance tests, their performance degrades rapidly under long-term cycling, high-rate discharge and harsh operating conditions.
Common problems include:
Rapid runtime decline
Unstable voltage output
Imbalanced performance among individual cells
Cell swelling and excessive heat generation
Premature failure and potential safety risks
Many consumers mistakenly buy these products thinking they are cost-effective, only to end up paying more for frequent malfunctions and replacements later on.
As a professional lithium battery manufacturer, Shenzhen BPI Battery Co., Ltd. exclusively uses premium Grade A cells. We control quality from the very source to deliver lithium battery solutions featuring superior safety, stability and long service life.
Against industry irregularities, BPI adheres to the manufacturing philosophy: Quality stems from cells; safety starts at the source. We implement rigorous quality control for every battery pack before production.
Second-life cells
Refurbished cells
Dismantled cells
Cells of unknown origin
This fundamentally guarantees excellent cycle life and reliable safety performance.
Voltage testing
Internal resistance testing
Capacity testing
Self-discharge testing
Cells are matched by test data to achieve high consistency, preventing overall performance degradation caused by discrepancies between individual units.
BPI has established a full lifecycle traceability mechanism. Every cell batch and PACK production procedure can be tracked, enabling full-process quality management and bringing customers complete peace of mind.
As a professional battery solution provider, BPI boasts a complete R&D and manufacturing system.
Modern production workshops
Automated PACK production lines
Standardized quality management procedures
Battery structural design
BMS protection systems
Battery management algorithms
Fast charging and cycle life enhancement
High and low temperature testing
Cycle life testing
Vibration testing
Drop testing
Overcharge and overdischarge testing
All tests ensure products fully meet diverse market application requirements.
What customers truly need is not just impressive nominal parameters, but stable and reliable long-term performance.
Higher Stability: Excellent consistency across the entire battery pack for dependable operation.
Greater Durability: Longer cycle life reduces overall long-term operating costs.
Enhanced Safety: Strict quality control and optimized protection design minimize operational risks.
Worry-Free Use: Low failure rates relieve after-sales maintenance burdens.
The CCTV report reveals a long-standing industry reality: battery quality is never determined merely by printed specifications. What truly matters is cell quality and manufacturing standards.
Shenzhen BPI Battery Co., Ltd. focuses on genuine quality rather than misleading parameter hype. We exercise strict control over every cell and every production process.
We firmly believe that genuine quality stands the test of time, and genuine safety starts with rigorous source control.
