CATL to begin mass production of sodium-ion batteries next year

Is it possible to stop using lithium batteries and replace them with other, maybe better ones? Absolutely yes, at some point in the distant future our kids will look back at our use of lithium and say “what were they thinking?” Battery technology is moving so fast that sometimes it’s hard to keep up, an article written yesterday can be already irrelevant thanks to companies like CATL.

CATL announced it is to begin a mass production of sodium-ion batteries, not in the next decade - starting early next year. The company has already set up a large supply chain for all the material required for the battery and it is in advanced talks with a number of automakers about the use of those batteries. Is this the end of lithium-ion technology?

Absolutely not, the lithium-ion batteries will remain for a while longer, a standard that all other chemistries will need to reach, but nonetheless this signals that a new era has begun. It makes so much sense to use sodium - it is right after Lithium in the periodic table which means there are a lot of similarities between the two. There are differences as well.

The first generation of sodium-ion batteries from CATL have an energy density of 160 Wh/kg and can charge in 15 minutes to 80 percent SoC. The batteries perform really well in cold temperatures, at -20 degrees Celsius, the battery retains more than 90 percent of its capacity.

There is a lot of work to be done still, the lithium-ion batteries exceed 200 Wh/kg energy density with some reaching 300 Wh/kg. Sodium-ion batteries on the other hand exceed safety requirements for automotive use and perform extremely well in cold temperatures. CATL is already working on the second generation cells with the expected energy density to reach 200 Wh/kg.

The biggest advantages of sodium-ion batteries are their less-flammable nature and abundance of raw materials - we have over 1,000 times more sodium than lithium. The disadvantages at the moment boil down to their lower energy density but this is improving constantly, the first generation of sodium-ion batteries are better than lithium-ion cells from 6 or 7 years ago.

The truth is that we cannot achieve electrification goals if we just rely on lithium. The world is moving away from gas-powered transport, passenger cars represent just a fraction of the battery market. CATL is the biggest battery manufacturer in the world with expected capacity of 670 GWh by 2025, the company confirmed it will aim for 1,200 GWh by 2026.

Sodium-ion batteries will eventually become the mainstream choice, lithium-ion will be most likely used in upmarket vehicles but for everyday use - we don’t need the expensive lithium. This is as much of a revolution as the electric car itself, we finally have a cheaper and viable battery option.

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