Korean media: Does Contemporary Amperex Technology's sodium-ion battery become a "game-changer"?

On November 19, the Korean media Etoday published an article stating that the battery industry is accelerating the development of "sodium-ion batteries" to promote the popularization of the electric vehicle market.

According to industry insiders, sodium-ion batteries are receiving attention as the next generation of mass-market batteries. Sodium resources are abundant and much cheaper than lithium, which could significantly reduce battery manufacturing costs.

Sodium is 1200 times more abundant in the Earth's crust than lithium. Lithium is only found in a few countries such as the United States, China, Australia, and Chile, and its supply and prices are highly volatile, while sodium supply is very stable. The abundant reserves ensure a stable supply chain, thus ensuring price competitiveness. Another advantage of sodium is its stability, which reduces the risk of explosion compared to lithium, and it can maintain over 90% of its charge even at temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius.

However, due to its low energy density, short range and lifespan are considered its disadvantages. The energy density of sodium-ion batteries is also lower than that of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Therefore, some people believe that in areas where energy density is critical, such as electric vehicles, sodium-ion batteries still have shortcomings.

Chinese companies are rapidly improving these defects and preparing for commercialization.

This April, Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) launched its second-generation sodium battery product Naxtra at a technology day event held in Shanghai, China. Its energy density is 175 watt-hours per kilogram. CATL also announced its goal to replace half of the LFP battery market with sodium batteries. The range of this product is approximately 500 kilometers. CATL plans to start mass production of the product in December. BYD has also started building a 5GW sodium-ion battery factory, with an investment of about 1.4 billion US dollars.

According to market research company SNE Research, sodium-ion batteries are expected to penetrate into two-wheelers, small electric vehicles, and energy storage systems (ESS). It is expected that by 2035, the market size will reach 1.9 trillion Korean won annually. It is reported that Samsung SDI is also conducting internal research on sodium-ion batteries and considering commercialization.

The Korea Automotive Research Institute stated in a report released in September: "In order to maintain the global competitiveness of the South Korean battery industry, it is necessary to consider the limitations of the strategy centered on the ternary system and formulate a strategy that can proactively respond to long-term market changes. When formulating a medium- to long-term battery technology development strategy, it is not only necessary to consider the advantages of technical performance indicators, but also to consider economic feasibility and the ability to cope with supply chain fluctuations, requiring a comprehensive and balanced perspective."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849220390935770/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.