CATL's $10B Profit Surge Arrives Just as Europe's Battery Champions Collapse Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) just posted ¥73.4 billion in net profit for 2025—roughly $10 billion, up 42.3% year-on-year. That's the Chinese battery giant's fastest growth in three years, and it comes precisely as Europe's homegrown battery manufacturing ambitions crumble. The timing couldn't be more pointed. While CATL's Debrecen gigafactory in Hungary began production in early 2026—earning recognition as Europe's most impactful mega FDI project—Northvolt filed for bankruptcy and ACC shelved two of its three planned European plants. For European founders betting on local supply chains and investors who poured billions into battery independence, CATL's results read like a report card on strategic failure. ## The numbers tell a dominance story CATL's FY2025 revenue hit ¥423.7 billion, up 17% year-on-year, beating analyst estimates. More telling: gross margins expanded to 26.27% from 24.44% the prior year. Those aren't…