[Source/Observer Network Qi Qian] On June 2, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) published an article stating that China has been in a dominant position in the global lithium battery field, while some countries are trying to reduce their dependence on China. Several analysts pointed out that sodium-ion batteries may be a shortcut for other countries to reduce their dependence on Chinese batteries in the future, but data shows that China will lead the world again in this field.

Analysis: China will still maintain its leading position

The BBC noticed that through electric two-wheelers ("small electric scooters"), sodium batteries have been widely used in the Chinese market.

In Hangzhou, dozens of small electric scooters with eye-catching designs are parked outside a shopping center, attracting passers-by to take test drives. These small electric scooters cost between $400 and $660 each and do not use commonly used lead-acid batteries or lithium-ion batteries but sodium batteries. A few fast charging stations stand nearby, capable of charging the vehicle's battery from 0% to 80% in 15 minutes.

The report stated that while other countries around the world are attempting to narrow the gap with China in the race to produce cheap, safe, and efficient lithium-ion batteries, Chinese companies have already taken the lead in mass-producing sodium-ion batteries. Yadea, one of many Chinese companies trying to gain a competitive advantage in alternative battery technologies, indicates the rapid development of China's clean technology industry.

According to the introduction, in addition to small electric scooters, Chinese car manufacturers are among the first in the world to introduce sodium-powered vehicles. In April 2025, CATL, the world's largest battery manufacturer, announced plans to mass-produce sodium-ion batteries for heavy trucks and cars under the new brand Naxtra this year. Additionally, grid operators in China have begun constructing energy storage stations using sodium-ion batteries to help the grid absorb renewable energy.

Corey Combs of Trivium China, which studies critical minerals and supply chains, said that Chinese enterprises' multi-pronged strategy in promoting sodium-ion batteries will keep them at the forefront of global competition.

Electric two-wheelers in production Visual China

"The vast number of small electric scooters gives hope to sodium batteries"

The article noted that as a rapidly growing and highly competitive market in China, small electric scooters hold high expectations for the development of sodium-ion batteries.

Data shows that only in China, sales of small electric scooters reached approximately 55 million units in 2023, nearly six times the total sales of pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell electric vehicles. Moreover, small electric scooters are extremely popular means of transportation in many Asian countries including Vietnam and Indonesia.

Yadea has so far launched three models powered by sodium batteries and plans to introduce more models. Yadea also established a New Energy Research Institute dedicated to researching emerging battery chemistry technologies, particularly sodium-ion batteries. In January this year, a senior vice president of the company said, "We want to quickly bring the technology from the lab to the customer," adding that scaling up sodium battery production is Yadea's goal.

Yadea electric vehicle

"Small electric scooters usually travel short distances at low speeds, requiring lower energy density and power output," said Chen Xi, an expert in energy storage materials and devices at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. He noted that the energy density of sodium-ion batteries is much lower than that of lithium-ion batteries of the same size.

Chen Xi also said that for small electric scooters, the main competitor of sodium batteries is lead-acid batteries. Although lead-acid batteries are cheaper than both sodium batteries and lithium-ion batteries, their energy density and charge cycle life are even lower.

Owing to the low energy density, the widespread application of sodium-ion batteries is limited. Chen Shan, a battery market analyst at Rystad Energy based in Shanghai, said that sodium batteries have yet to achieve mass production and cannot compete with lithium-ion batteries in price or performance in the four-wheeled vehicle sector, making large-scale adoption difficult in the next two to three years.

However, the popularization of sodium battery-powered small electric scooters in China, although slow, is encouraging. A spokesperson for Yadea told the BBC that sales of their sodium battery-powered scooters in the first three months of 2025 were approaching 1,000 units. Yadea is not the only company promoting sodium batteries; Tailing and BYD's battery company are also researching and selling sodium batteries.

The BBC reported that sodium-ion battery market share is expected to grow rapidly over the next five years. Analysis shows that by 2030, 15% of small electric scooters in China will be powered by sodium-ion batteries, compared to just 0.04% in 2023.

The report also mentioned that the larger market for sodium-ion batteries might be energy storage stations. Combs said that when sodium batteries are installed in fixed locations, the disadvantages of using sodium-ion batteries in vehicles disappear, "You just need to build a slightly larger energy storage device, which doesn't need to move, and the weight of the battery becomes irrelevant."

As countries around the world strive to achieve climate goals, the energy storage market is expected to become a huge and rapidly growing market. The International Energy Agency stated that if net-zero emissions are to be achieved by 2050, global grid-scale energy storage capacity needs to increase nearly 35-fold between 2022 and 2030.

"This will become a very important market in the future, especially as the proportion of renewable energy in the grid continues to grow," said Ilaria Mazocco, a senior researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She added that globally, the demand for energy storage systems will increase to balance fluctuations in electricity generation.

Are they safer than lithium-ion batteries?

It was introduced that currently, lithium mines are mainly extracted in Australia, China, and Chile, but lithium processing is concentrated in China, which holds nearly 60% of the global lithium refining capacity. In contrast, sodium is widely distributed in oceans and the earth's crust, with reserves about 400 times that of lithium. Therefore, sodium-ion batteries are easier to obtain, have lower mass production costs, and can help the battery industry break free from current supply chain bottlenecks.

Sodium-ion batteries were not recently invented but are closely related to lithium-ion batteries. Since Sony introduced the world's first lithium-ion battery in 1991, its tremendous commercial success led to the stagnation of sodium-ion technology development. Currently, under years of industrial promotion in China, lithium-ion batteries have become the dominant force in the global battery industry.

The BBC considers 2021 as a turning point for sodium-ion batteries. Due to strong demand for electric vehicles and the impact of the pandemic, global prices for battery-grade lithium surged, increasing more than fourfold within a year. During this time, major battery and electric vehicle manufacturers began seeking alternatives.

Kate Logan, director of the Asia Society Policy Institute, stated, "Sodium's relative abundance and China's interest in resilient battery supply chains have always been core factors driving research." However, lithium prices began to crash at the end of 2022.

Nevertheless, others choose sodium-ion batteries for other benefits, one of which is safety.

Some industry insiders believe that sodium-ion batteries are safer. Some studies suggest that due to sodium's more stable chemical properties, sodium-ion batteries are less prone to overheating and catching fire than lithium-ion batteries and are less affected by cold weather. Sodium-ion batteries also promise to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing lithium-ion batteries, particularly cobalt and nickel.

Zhang Shan, a researcher at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, said that since sodium batteries are still in development, "production processes, lifespan, and energy density all require improvement, and it is expected that their impact on the climate may be lower than that of lithium-ion batteries in the future."

However, some warn that the research is insufficient, and it is premature to determine the safety of sodium batteries.

"In the field of sodium batteries, countries still cannot bypass Chinese enterprises."

More importantly, some entrepreneurs and researchers believe that sodium is a shortcut for other countries to reduce their dependence on Chinese batteries.

However, the BBC直言，如果这项技术进入大众市场，中国企业将有望引领全球生产。库姆斯也表示，中国主要电池制造商已将钠电池纳入保持长期竞争力的战略，这意味着该领域不再是绕过中国企业优势的途径。

Logan指出，由于两种电池之间的相似性，现有的锂离子电池制造基础设施可用于生产钠离子电池，从而减少中国商业化的时长和成本。公开资料显示，钠离子电池与锂离子电池的工作原理类似，主要依靠钠离子在正极和负极之间的移动来工作。

On March 17, CATL disclosed in the investor relations activity record that the company is developing a second-generation sodium battery. CATL stated, “(The second-generation sodium battery) performance indicators are close to those of phosphate iron batteries. Once it can be applied on a large scale, the cost of sodium batteries compared to phosphate iron batteries will also have certain advantages.”

As early as July 2021, CATL had already launched the first-generation sodium-ion battery, which can reach an energy density of 160Wh/kg for individual battery cells; it can charge to 80% in 15 minutes under normal temperature conditions; it maintains over 90% discharge retention rate in -20°C low-temperature environments; and system integration efficiency can exceed 80%. At that time, CATL indicated that the next-generation sodium-ion battery energy density development target is above 200Wh/kg.

CATL’s first-generation sodium-ion battery launched in July 2021

Illustrative Research and Consulting Wood Mackenzie's advisor Zheng Jiayue, who specializes in energy storage supply chains, said that Chinese companies can faster transition technology from the laboratory to mass production, which is also the "biggest difference" between them and foreign companies. She stated that foreign companies often need more time to build production lines, and their capacities are difficult to compete with Chinese companies.

Ms. Zheng cited Wood Mackenzie's analysis, indicating that by 2033, global planned capacity for sodium-ion batteries will exceed 500 GWh, with China expected to account for more than 90% of this.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Network and unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7511530321930748416/

Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's views. Please express your opinions by clicking the 'like/dislike' buttons below.