Korean Media: Sodium Battery Mass Production Achieved, CATL Reshapes Battery Market Landscape!
On August 23, South Korea's media outlet *Herald Economic* published an article stating that sodium-ion batteries have entered mass production. The world's largest battery manufacturer headquartered in China, CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited), announced plans to supply China's first large-scale sodium-ion battery energy storage facility starting in September this year.
Recently, CATL signed the world's largest sodium-ion battery supply contract with Chinese power equipment manufacturer Hiberisun—a three-year agreement for 60 GWh—marking the dawn of a new era in sodium-ion battery development.
Previously, Chinese automaker Changan Automobile stated it plans to launch its first mass-produced passenger vehicle equipped with CATL’s sodium-ion batteries this year—an historic milestone.
After analyzing China’s development trends, the International Energy Agency (IEA) noted that sodium-ion batteries are steadily advancing toward commercial success, and this year could be a pivotal turning point in their commercialization journey.
Each year, MIT’s science journal *Technology Review* releases its list of "Top 10 Innovations" aimed at addressing global challenges. This year, sodium-ion battery technology ranked number one on the list.
Due to abundant sodium resources and highly competitive pricing, sodium-ion batteries are gaining increasing global attention. For decades, the battery market has been dominated by lithium-ion batteries.
However, lithium supplies are limited and prices fluctuate dramatically, leading to growing supply chain risks. Sodium-ion batteries do not rely on lithium at all.
Over the past year, lithium prices have more than doubled. In contrast, sodium—the primary component of table salt—is ubiquitous across Earth.
Sodium-ion batteries exhibit excellent cold-weather performance. According to the IEA, the latest sodium-ion batteries can maintain approximately 90% of their capacity even at temperatures as low as -40°C and continue operating normally at high temperatures up to 70°C.
Considering the severe Arctic cold wave that hit the United States in 2024, which left numerous electric vehicles stranded on roadsides—giving rise to the term “electric vehicle graveyard”—this low-temperature resilience represents a significant advantage for sodium-ion batteries.
One key metric for evaluating battery performance is energy density. Commercially available sodium-ion batteries today can reach a maximum energy density of up to 175 Wh/kg, significantly narrowing the gap with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which have an energy density of 205 Wh/kg. The highest-performing nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) batteries achieve 255 Wh/kg.
If we compare only energy density, sodium-ion batteries primarily compete with LFP batteries. Their advantages lie in performance comparable to LFP batteries, lower cost, and superior cold-weather capability.
The IEA notes that the majority of global sodium-ion battery production capacity is currently concentrated in China, with projections indicating that by around 2030, China will account for over 95% of global capacity—including all existing and announced production facilities.
The IEA also points out that electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems using sodium-ion batteries are already competitive, especially in cold climate regions. *MIT Technology Review* adds that although sodium-ion EVs have shorter range than traditional EVs, they are competitive in many areas—for example, in China—particularly in mid-to-low price segments of EVs and in energy storage systems designed for medium- and short-distance travel.
Few experts believe sodium-ion batteries will completely replace lithium-ion batteries. This is because lithium offers outstanding electrochemical and physical properties. However, with the rapid advancement of sodium-ion battery technology and market adoption, the prospect of sodium-ion batteries becoming a major pillar in the battery industry is increasingly being taken seriously.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874313921373257/
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