艾媒咨询 | 2025-2026年中国智能客服行业研究及消费者洞察报告

随着人工智能技术的不断进步，中国智能客服市场近年来发展迅速，其服务边界持续拓展，市场规模不断扩大，智能客服系统在提升用户服务效率和服务质量方面表现出巨大潜力。iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）数据显示，2024年中国智能客服市场规模达482亿元（涵盖智能客服行业涉及的硬件、软件、服务等所有细分市场），预计到2027年，这一数字将增长至907亿元。调研结果显示，仍有三成用户对智能客服的使用体验不满意，当前市场中的智能客服语音识别不准确现象较为突出，84.2%的用户曾遇见语音识别不准确情况，未来中国智能客服需要更加注重用户数据的分析和利用，以提升用户体验和服务质量。同时，注重智能客服的迭代优化，进一步智能化、拟人化，推动行业技术进步，增加用户粘性，推动行业高质量发展。
With the continuous advancement of artificial intelligence technology, the intelligent customer service market in China has developed rapidly in recent years. Its service boundaries have been continuously expanding, and the market size has been constantly increasing. The intelligent customer service system has shown great potential in improving the efficiency and quality of user services. iiMedia Research data s shows that in 2024 China's intelligent customer service market scale up to 48.2 billion yuan (including smart customer service industry involving hardware, software, services, all segments), predicts 2027, the number will increase to 90.7 billion yuan. The results of the questionnaire survey show that still 30% of users are dissatisfied with the usage experience of intelligent customer service. Currently, the phenomenon of inaccurate voice recognition in intelligent customer service in the market is quite prominent. 84.2% of users have encountered inaccurate voice recognition situations. In the future, intelligent customer service in China needs to pay more attention to the analysis and utilization of user data to improve user experience and service quality. At the same time, emphasis should be placed on the iterative optimization of intelligent customer service, further enhancing its intelligence and personification, promoting technological progress in the industry, increasing user stickiness, and driving high-quality development of the industry.

艾媒咨询｜2024年中国调味食品行业市场研究报告

随着经济的不断发展以及中西方饮食文化的交融，消费者对调味食品的需求越来越多元化。此外，健康饮食观念的普及使得消费者更加注重调味食品的营养成分和健康属性，为中国调味食品行业的发展提供了巨大机遇。全球新经济产业第三方数据挖掘和分析机构iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）最新发布的《2024年中国调味食品行业市场研究报告》数据显示，2024年中国调味食品消费者选购产品时主要关注的因素是口感口味和质量安全，分别占比47.4%、43.9%。当前，调味食品的主要销售渠道是线下商超和综合电商平台，其他销售渠道正在被逐渐渗透。随着健康理念在消费者选购产品时逐渐占据重要地位，调味食品行业正迎来以低钠低糖为核心理念的新消费需求。此外，拓宽销售渠道和推广渠道也将成为企业强化市场地位的新机遇。
With the continuous development of economy and the integration of Chinese and western food culture, consumers' demand for flavored food is becoming more and more diversified. In addition, the popularity of the concept of healthy eating makes consumers pay more attention to the nutritional composition and health attributes of flavored foods, which provides great opportunities for the development of China's flavored food industry. According to the latest Research Report on the Development of China seasoning food industry market research report in 2024 released by iiMedia Research, a third-party data mining and analysis institution of the global new economy industry, It is expected that in 2024, the scale of China's condiment market will reach 687.1 billion yuan. In 2024, the main factors that Chinese consumers pay attention to when purchasing products are taste, taste and quality and safety, accounting for 47.4% and 43.9% respectively. At present, the main sales channels of flavored food are offline supermarkets and integrated e-commerce platforms, and other sales channels are gradually being penetrated. As the health concept gradually occupies an important position in the purchase of products by consumers, the flavored food industry is ushering in new consumer demand with low sodium and low sugar as the core concept. In addition, broadening sales channels and promotion channels will also become a new opportunity for enterprises to strengthen their market position.

艾媒咨询 | 2025-2026年中国冰淇淋行业消费趋势监测与案例研究报告

中国冰淇淋行业将迎来“需求驱动、创新引领、数字化赋能”的新阶段，机遇与挑战并存。iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）数据显示， 2024年冰淇淋行业市场规模达1835亿元，预计到2030年规模将进一步增长至2334亿元。未来，随着行业集中度的逐步提升，传统企业需加速转型，拥抱数字化与创新；新品牌需强化差异化定位，聚焦细分需求；产业链上下游企业需加强协同，方能在激烈竞争中占据先机，实现长期稳健增长。
The Chinese ice cream industry is about to enter a new stage characterized by "demand-driven, innovation-led and digital-empowered", with both opportunities and challenges coexisting. iiMedia Research data shows that the market size of the ice cream industry reached 183.5 billion yuan in 2024 and is expected to further grow to 233.4 billion yuan by 2030. In the future, as the industry concentration gradually increases, traditional enterprises need to accelerate their transformation and embrace digitalization and innovation. New brands need to strengthen their differentiated positioning and focus on niche demands. Enterprises in the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain need to enhance coordination in order to gain the upper hand in fierce competition and achieve long-term stable growth.

艾媒咨询 | 2025年中国高考及院校录取分数大数据分析报告

高考作为中国教育体系中连接基础教育与高等教育的关键枢纽，其报考规模、录取机制及分数线划分始终是社会各界关注的焦点。2025年，中国高考迎来历史性拐点，全国报名人数为1335万，较2024年减少7万，这是自2018年以来高考报名人数首次出现下降。艾媒咨询分析师认为，这一变化背后的驱动因素多元：既源于适龄考生数量的自然波动，也与职业教育、留学等多元升学路径的分流密切相关，高考从“唯一选择”向“重要选择”的转型趋势愈发明显。
而在录取环节，985院校作为高等教育的“金字塔尖”，其录取分数分布始终是考生与家长最关注的风向标。2025年，两类科目的985院校录取分数均呈现出“顶尖集中、梯度分明、学科差异显著”的特征。iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）数据显示，在历史普通类本科批中，清华大学以24省675.25分的平均录取分数稳居第一，北京大学以670.54分紧随其后，上海交通大学以659.75平均分位列第三；TOP4-10依次为复旦大学（659.38分）、中国人民大学（654.83分）、南京大学（650.38分）、浙江大学（650.08分）、国防科技大学（644.50分）、北京航空航天大学（637.71分）、南开大学（635.83分）。在物理普通类本科批中，北京大学以24省平均688.00分拔得头筹，清华大学以686.29分排名第二，上海交通大学以676.46分位列第三；TOP4-10依次为复旦大学（675.58分）、中国科学技术大学（670.58分）、浙江大学（670.50分）、中国人民大学（667.50分）、南京大学（667.04分）、哈尔滨工业大学（666.67分）、北京航空航天大学（656.33分）。从数据看，学科差异尤为明显。物理类分数整体高于历史类，反映出理科方向的竞争更为激烈，顶尖院校竞争进入“分毫必争”阶段。
As a key hub connecting basic education and higher education in China's education system, the college entrance examination has always been the focus of attention from all sectors of society in terms of its application scale, admission mechanism and score line division. In 2025, China's college entrance examination will reach a historic turning point. The number of applicants nationwide will be 13.35 million, a decrease of 70,000 compared to 2024. This is the first decline in the number of applicants since 2018. Analysts from iiMedia Research believe that the driving factors behind this change are diverse: it is not only due to the natural fluctuation in the number of school-age candidates, but also closely related to the diversion of multiple college admission paths such as vocational education and studying abroad. The trend of the college entrance examination transforming from the "only choice" to the "important choice" is becoming increasingly obvious.
In the admission process, as the "top of the pyramid" of higher education, the distribution of admission scores of 985 universities has always been the most closely watched barometer for candidates and their parents. In 2025, the admission scores of 985 universities for both types of subjects will exhibit the characteristics of "concentrated top-tier, distinct gradients, and significant disciplinary differences" :iiMedia Research Data shows that in the regular undergraduate batch of history, Tsinghua University ranked first with an average score of 675.25 across 24 provinces, followed closely by Peking University with 670.54 points, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University came in third with 659.75 points. The top 4 to 10 universities are Fudan University (659.38 points), Renmin University of China (654.83 points), Nanjing University (650.38 points), Zhejiang University (650.08 points), National University of Defense Technology (644.50 points), Beihang University (637.71 points), and Nankai University (635.83 points) in sequence. In the regular undergraduate batch of physics, Peking University took the lead with an average score of 688.00 across 24 provinces. Tsinghua University ranked second with 686.29 points, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University came in third with 676.46 points. The top 4 to 10 are Fudan University (675.58 points), University of Science and Technology of China (670.58 points), Zhejiang University (670.50 points), Renmin University of China (667.50 points), Nanjing University (667.04 points), Harbin Institute of Technology (666.67 points), and Beihang University (656.33 points) in sequence. From the data, it can be seen that the differences among disciplines are particularly obvious. The overall score for physics is higher than that for history, reflecting that the competition in the science direction is more intense, and the competition among top universities has entered a stage where every penny counts.

艾媒咨询 | 2025-2030年中餐出海市场状况与发展趋势研究报告

在经济全球化的背景下，各国文化交流日益频繁，餐饮文化作为文化的重要组成部分，跨越国界的速度不断加快。中餐凭借其丰富的口味、独特的烹饪技艺和深厚的文化底蕴，在国际舞台上逐渐崭露头角，吸引了越来越多国家的人们关注和喜爱。全球新经济产业第三方数据挖掘和分析机构iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）最新发布的《2025-2030年中餐出海市场状况与发展趋势研究报告》数据显示，2020年到2024年，国际中餐规模从2275.48亿美元增长到3593.85美亿元；预计2030年国际中餐规模达5776.82亿美元，整体呈现上升趋势。艾媒咨询分析师认为，深度本地化融入是中餐品牌出海成功的关键因素之一。品牌通过菜品本地化、人才管理本地化和供应链本地化，更好地适应当地市场需求。
Under the background of economic globalization, cultural exchanges among countries are becoming increasingly frequent. As an important part of culture, the speed at which catering culture crosses national boundaries is constantly accelerating. Chinese cuisine, with its rich flavors, unique cooking techniques and profound cultural heritage, has gradually emerged on the international stage, attracting the attention and love of people from more and more countries. The latest "Research report on the market status and development trends of Chinese cuisine going global from 2025 to 2030" released by iiMedia Research, a third-party data mining and analysis institution for the global new economy industry, shows that from 2020 to 2024, the scale of international Chinese cuisine increased from 227.548 billion US dollars to 359.385 billion US dollars. It is estimated that the scale of international Chinese cuisine will reach 577.682 billion US dollars in 2030, showing an overall upward trend.Analysts from iiMedia Research believe that deep localization integration is one of the key factors for the success of Chinese cuisine brands in going global. The brand better ADAPTS to local market demands by localizing its dishes, talent management and supply chain.

艾媒咨询 | 2025年中国火锅行业发展现状及消费行为调查数据

近年来，中国火锅行业凭借强大韧性与创新活力稳健发展。根据全球领先的新经济产业第三方数据挖掘和分析机构iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）最新发布的《2025年中国火锅行业发展现状及消费行为调查数据》数据显示，中国火锅行业市场规模呈现先升后降再回升的态势。2024年中国火锅行业市场规模为6413亿元，2025年预计将攀升至6689亿元。整体来看，火锅行业市场规模虽有波动，但长期保持增长趋势，展现出较强的市场韧性和发展潜力。在2025年中国消费者喜欢吃火锅原因中，食材丰富、口味丰富，满足不同人的喜好占比最高，达到50.45%；其次是冬天吃火锅可以御寒养胃，驱除体内湿气，占比48.86%。这些数据显示，口味丰富可以满足不同人所喜好和个人养生是消费者喜爱吃火锅的主要原因。在2025年中国消费者选择火锅店时考虑因素中，特色菜品以35.34%的占比成为消费者选择火锅店时最重要的考虑因素。其次是价格优惠和品牌口碑，分别占比32.93%和32.71%，表明消费者对价格和品牌同样重视。就餐氛围和店内环境也较为重要，占比分别为32.60%和30.63%。
艾媒咨询分析师认为，未来火锅行业将在产品创新维度持续拓展，从食材、锅底到跨品类融合不断突破边界；随着健康饮食理念深入人心，清淡、养生锅底的市场份额将进一步扩大；供应链领域，企业与品牌的合作将从单纯供应向深度共创转变，加速新品研发与市场响应，有效缩短跨品类产品演变周期。企业需精准把握消费者需求变化，通过产品创新、供应链优化、提升性价比等方式构建竞争优势，同时也要积极应对价格战、同质化竞争以及食品安全监管等挑战。
In recent years, the Chinese hot pot industry has developed steadily by virtue of its strong resilience and innovative vitality. According to the latest "Survey data on the current development status and consumer behavior of China's hot pot industry in 2025" released by iiMedia Research, a globally leading third-party data mining and analysis institution for the new economy industry, the market size of China's hot pot industry shows a trend of rising first, then falling, and finally recovering. The market size of China's hot pot industry was 641.3 billion yuan in 2024 and is expected to rise to 668.9 billion yuan in 2025. Overall, although the market size of the hot pot industry has fluctuated, it has maintained a long-term growth trend, demonstrating strong market resilience and development potential. Among the reasons why Chinese consumers like to eat hot pot in 2025, the proportion of rich ingredients and diverse flavors that meet the preferences of different people is the highest, reaching 50.45%. Secondly, eating hot pot in winter can help keep warm, nourish the stomach and eliminate dampness in the body, accounting for 48.86%. The rich flavors of these data can meet the preferences of different people and personal health preservation, which is the main reason why consumers love to eat hot pot. In 2025, among the factors that Chinese consumers consider when choosing a hot pot restaurant, specialty dishes will account for 35.34%, becoming the most important consideration for consumers when making a choice. Secondly, there are price discounts and brand reputation, accounting for 32.93% and 32.71% respectively, indicating that consumers attach equal importance to both price and brand. The dining atmosphere and the in-store environment are also quite important, accounting for 32.60% and 30.63% respectively.
Analysts from iiMedia Research believe that in the future, the hot pot industry will continue to expand in the dimension of product innovation, constantly breaking boundaries from ingredients, pot bases to cross-category integration. As the concept of healthy eating takes root in people's hearts, the market share of light and health-preserving pot bases will further expand. In the supply chain field, the cooperation between enterprises and brands will shift from simple supply to in-depth co-creation, accelerating the research and development of new products and market response, and effectively shortening the evolution cycle of cross-category products. Enterprises need to accurately grasp the changes in consumer demands, build competitive advantages through product innovation, supply chain optimization, and enhancing cost performance, etc. At the same time, they should also actively respond to challenges such as price wars, homogeneous competition, and food safety supervision.

艾媒咨询 | 2024-2025年中国化妆品市场运行状况及发展趋势研究报告

在消费结构升级、审美观念和悦己意识增强等多种因素的推动下，国内化妆品消费持续增长。全球新经济产业第三方数据挖掘和分析机构iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）最新发布的《2024-2025年中国化妆品市场运行状况及发展趋势研究报告》数据显示，2023年中国化妆品行业市场规模约为5169.0亿元，同比增长6.4%，2025年有望增至5791.0亿元。近年来，国产化妆品品牌凭借高性价比与渠道精细化运营实现了迅速增长。在消费者对高端国际品牌整体祛魅的趋势下，国货品牌应将产品与营销的转型创新视为企业发展及再增长的关键，以满足市场的需求，提高企业竞争力。
Driven by many factors such as the upgrading of consumption structure, the enhancement of aesthetic concept and self-pleasing consciousness, domestic cosmetics consumption continues to grow. According to the latest "Research Report on the Operation Status and Development Trend of China's Cosmetics Market in 2024-2025" released by iiMedia Research, a third-party data mining and analysis institution in the global new economy industry, the market size of China's cosmetics industry in 2023 is about 516.09 billion yuan, an increase of 6.4%. It is expected to increase to 579.10 billion yuan by 2025. In recent years, domestic cosmetics brands have achieved rapid growth with high cost performance and refined channel operation. Under the trend of consumers' overall disenchantment of high-end international brands, domestic brands should regard the transformation and innovation of products and marketing as the key to the development and re-growth of enterprises, so as to meet the needs of the market and improve the competitiveness of enterprises.

艾媒咨询 | 2024-2025年中国预制菜产业发展蓝皮书

2025年7月18日，第三届中国国际（佛山）预制菜产业大会在广东佛山隆重开幕。来自全球近40个国家和地区的客商、超千家预制菜全产业链企业及采购商参会，共襄产业盛事。本次大会由广东省农业农村厅、佛山市人民政府主办，广东省农业对外经济与农民合作促进中心、佛山市农业农村局、佛山市顺德区人民政府承办，围绕“高质量发展、融合创新、品牌赋能”等关键词，聚焦预制菜产业最新成果，总结发展经验，探讨未来方向，为产业升级注入新动能。
活动现场，《2024-2025年中国预制菜产业发展蓝皮书》（以下简称“《蓝皮书》”）正式发布。《蓝皮书》由第三届中国国际（佛山）预制菜产业大会组委会指导，艾媒咨询、南方农村报共同编写，是系统反映2024-2025年中国预制菜产业发展状况的权威年度报告。
《蓝皮书》内容翔实、逻辑清晰，涵盖七大核心板块：产业发展评价从政策环境、经济环境、社会环境、科技环境四大维度，全面解析预制菜产业发展的支撑体系；产业链与商业模式分析通过梳理产业链上游、中游、下游的全链路格局，剖析商业模式创新；消费市场研究通过大数据分析消费需求特征，并聚焦广东、山东、河南、江苏、湖北等重点省份，解读区域消费差异；园区发展研究通过调研全国预制菜产业园区的规划布局、政策支持、特色产业集群，总结园区发展经验；企业发展研究通过分析企业分布特征、上市企业表现，并选取重点企业进行案例解读；细分领域研究则深入探讨水产、肉禽类、酸菜鱼预制菜、预制鸡排、春节预制菜等细分市场的发展现状与潜力；未来趋势预判从政策引导、数字化转型、消费升级、可持续发展等方面，预判产业未来方向。
《蓝皮书》采用市场调研、大数据分析、深度访谈、案例研究等方法，系统性阐释了中国预制菜产业的发展背景、当前现状与未来趋势，构筑了“政策-产业-企业-消费”多维立体的产业图景。
数据显示，2024年中国预制菜产业延续稳健增长态势，市场规模达到4850亿元，同比增长33.8%，预计2026年市场规模将突破7490亿元。预制菜产业作为农村一二三产业融合的重要载体，对促进农业增效、农民增收、推动餐饮行业标准化、满足消费者便捷化需求具有重要意义。
《蓝皮书》的核心亮点之一是《2024年年度中国各省预制菜产业发展水平排行榜》。该榜单基于预制菜产业传播声量、企业数量和规模、产业园区建设、重点企业平台销量、政策扶持力度、高水平产业交流、分析师评价七大维度指标，对全国31个省（自治区、直辖市）进行综合评分。其中，广东省作为预制菜的“策源地”，在政策、经济等多方面具备发展优势，2024年依然占据排行榜第一位。《蓝皮书》还选取了排行榜中发展水平较高的五个省份进行客观分析与评价。
报告全文内容共计363页、210561字、316个图表。

艾媒咨询 | 2025年中国电子烟行业市场发展状况与消费行为调查数据

近年来，中国电子烟行业在政策监管与市场需求的双重作用下加速结构性变革。根据全球领先的新经济产业第三方数据挖掘和分析机构iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）最新发布的《2025年中国电子烟行业市场发展状况与消费行为调查数据》数据显示，中国电子烟行业内销市场规模呈现出显著的增长趋势。2024年电子烟市场规模达到598.1亿元，展现出该行业在国内市场强劲的发展势头与增长潜力。在2025年中国消费者购买电子烟情况中，有购买电子烟的消费者占比高达64.26%，而没有购买的消费者占比为35.74%，这一数据表明，电子烟在中国消费者中的普及率较高，大多数消费者选择购买电子烟。在2025年中国消费者选购电子烟时看重因素中，烟嘴材质以42.69%的占比成为消费者选购电子烟时最看重的因素；其次是清洗周期，占比37.87%。续航时间和焦油含量的占比也相对较高，分别为37.69%和37.52%，表明消费者在选购电子烟时，更关注烟嘴材质、续航时间及焦油含量等健康和使用体验相关的因素。
艾媒咨询分析师认为，未来中国电子烟行业在技术上AI将与大数据深度应用，通过用户身体数据分析提供定制化按摩方案；健康上，尼古丁盐配方优化与低温不燃烧技术加速迭代，推动产品减害性能升级；市场上，监管趋严下行业集中度提升，头部企业加速三、四线城市渠道下沉与海外市场布局。同时，健康化与个性化需求驱动草本提取物电子烟、可降解包装等创新品类崛起。企业需在合规框架内，通过技术创新、渠道精细化运营与差异化产品策略构建竞争壁垒，同时社会需强化未成年人保护与健康消费引导，促进行业可持续发展。
In recent years, China's e-cigarette industry has been accelerating its structural transformation under the dual influence of policy regulation and market demand. According to the latest "Survey Data on the market development status and consumer behavior of China's e-cigarette industry in 2025" released by iiMedia Research, a globally leading third-party data mining and analysis institution for the new economy industry, the domestic sales market size of China's e-cigarette industry shows a significant growth trend. In 2024, the market size of e-cigarettes reached 59.81 billion yuan, demonstrating the strong development momentum and growth potential of this industry in the domestic market. In the situation of Chinese consumers' purchase of e-cigarettes in 2025, the proportion of consumers who have purchased e-cigarettes is as high as 64.26%, while the proportion of consumers who have not purchased e-cigarettes is 35.74%. This data indicates that the penetration rate of e-cigarettes among Chinese consumers is relatively high, and the majority of consumers choose to purchase e-cigarettes. Among the factors that Chinese consumers consider when purchasing e-cigarettes in 2025, the material of the cigarette tip, accounting for 42.69%, became the most important factor for consumers when choosing e-cigarettes. The second is the cleaning cycle, accounting for 37.87%. The proportions of battery life and tar content are also relatively high, at 37.69% and 37.52% respectively, indicating that when consumers purchase e-cigarettes, they pay more attention to factors related to health and user experience such as the material of the cigarette tip, battery life and tar content.
Analysts from iiMedia Research believe that in the future, in China's e-cigarette industry, AI will be deeply applied with big data in terms of technology, providing customized massage solutions through the analysis of users' body data. In terms of health, the optimization of nicotine salt formulas and the accelerated iteration of low-temperature non-combustion technology have promoted the upgrade of the product's harm reduction performance. In the market, with stricter regulation, the industry concentration has increased, and leading enterprises are accelerating their channel penetration into third - and fourth-tier cities and overseas market layout. Meanwhile, the demands for health and personalization have driven the rise of innovative categories such as herbal extract e-cigarettes and degradable packaging. Enterprises need to build competitive barriers within the framework of compliance through technological innovation, refined operation of channels and differentiated product strategies. Meanwhile, society should strengthen the protection of minors and guidance on healthy consumption to promote the sustainable development of the industry.

艾媒咨询 | 2025-2029年中国锂电池行业研究报告

在全球能源结构加速转型与“双碳”目标引领的时代浪潮下，锂电池行业已成为支撑新能源产业发展的核心力量，中国锂电池行业更是凭借政策、技术和产业链等优势在全球市场中占据重要地位。全球新经济产业第三方数据挖掘和分析机构iiMedia Research（艾媒咨询）最新发布的《2025-2029年中国锂电池行业研究报告》数据显示，2024年中国锂电池市场规模已达到17500亿元，同比增长25.0%，预计2029年将超过5万亿元。艾媒咨询分析师认为，在全球产业智能化与绿色化转型的浪潮下，低空经济、电动车等战略性新兴产业的蓬勃发展，正成为驱动锂电池需求爆发式增长的核心引擎。
In the era of accelerated transformation of the global energy structure and the guidance of the "dual carbon" goals, the lithium battery industry has become a core force supporting the development of the new energy industry. China's lithium battery industry has occupied an important position in the global market by virtue of its advantages in policy, technology and industrial chain. According to the latest "China lithium battery industry research report from 2025 to 2029" released by iiMedia Research, a third-party data mining and analysis institution for the global new economy industry, the market size of lithium batteries in China has reached 1,750 billion yuan in 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 25.0%. It is expected to exceed five trillion yuan by 2029. Analysts from iiMedia Research believe that under the global wave of industrial intelligence and green transformation, the vigorous development of strategic emerging industries such as low-altitude economy and electric vehicles is becoming the core engine driving the explosive growth of lithium battery demand.