Key Takeaways
1. Chinese smartphones often have larger batteries in China (e.g., Xiaomi 15 Ultra: 6,000 mAh) compared to global markets (e.g., 5,410 mAh in Germany).
2. Global brands like Samsung are also using smaller batteries in other regions (e.g., Galaxy S26 Ultra: 5,000 mAh).
3. Regulatory compliance, particularly U.S. transportation regulations, may influence battery size decisions, keeping them under legal limits to avoid increased shipping costs.
4. Similar regulations may exist in the EU, leading to smaller battery capacities in certain markets (e.g., Vivo X200 Pro: 5,200 mAh vs. 6,000 mAh).
5. Future technologies, like dual-cell batteries, may offer solutions to regulatory limitations, but transparency from manufacturers about battery sizes remains low.
In the last few years, it has become quite common to notice that Chinese smartphones with battery sizes of 6,000 mAh or more are sold globally with smaller batteries. For instance, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra boasts a 6,000 mAh battery in China, yet in Germany and other locations, it is only equipped with a 5,410 mAh battery. The Vivo X200 Pro also follows a similar trend. Even global smartphone brands don’t seem to heed the demand for larger batteries in China. Take Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is reported to come with just a 5,000 mAh battery, the same capacity as the Galaxy S20 Ultra from 2020.
Corporate Decisions or Regulatory Compliance?
Is this merely a case of negligence or the greed from big companies, as many in the community have often speculated? At the minimum, it likely ties into regulations, as noted by the well-known Chinese leaker Ice Universe on X (previously known as Twitter). In the United States, there exists a federal transportation regulation—US Federal Transportation Regulation 49 CFR 173.185—which outlines the specific limits for lithium batteries in smartphones when shipped to the U.S. before they are classified as Class 9 “Dangerous Goods,” which significantly increases shipping costs. The battery capacity, measured in milliampere-hours (mAh), must be converted to watt-hours (Wh).
Legal Limits Impact Battery Sizes
This regulation suggests that the popular 5,000 mAh limit, especially favored by Samsung, may have a legal foundation since it stays just under the arbitrary threshold set by U.S. authorities. While neither Vivo nor Xiaomi offers their phones in the U.S., similar rules, possibly with different limits, might also apply in the EU or specific regions of the EU. For example, the Vivo X200 Pro is sold with a 5,200 mAh battery instead of a 6,000 mAh one in those markets.
The Future of Battery Technology
Dual-cell batteries, like those found in the OnePlus 13, might provide a possible workaround to this outdated legal scenario, which is unlikely to evolve anytime soon. The regulation allows each cell to exceed 20 Wh of capacity as long as the total doesn’t exceed 100 Wh. Sadly, most manufacturers are not very open about this matter and often fail to provide clear explanations for the smaller battery sizes in various global markets, even when directly questioned. Regardless, things could worsen in 2026 when smartphones featuring 7,000 to 9,000 mAh batteries are expected to launch in China.
eCFR via Ice Universe and SamMobile
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