CATL, the Chinese power battery giant, made headlines in July 2021 when it unveiled its first-generation sodium-ion battery. And now, after months of anticipation, CATL has announced that Chery’s models will be the first to use the sodium-ion batteries.
Sodium-ion batteries are expected to break through resource bottlenecks and provide a cost-effective choice for electric vehicles. While the company has not revealed further details, it has emphasized the batteries’ advantages in low-temperature performance and fast charging, particularly in high-power application scenarios in alpine regions.
See also: BYD to start mass-produce sodium-ion batteries in Q2 2023 : report
CATL has also stated that its next-generation sodium-ion battery will have an energy density exceeding 200Wh/kg and plans to establish a basic industrial chain by 2023.
Despite industry skepticism over the low energy density of sodium-ion batteries, CATL’s pioneering AB battery system integration technology has enabled them to complement lithium-ion batteries and increase the overall energy density of the battery system.
During a forum in November 2022, Huang Qisen, vice president of CATL’s research institute, confirmed that the company plans to carry sodium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, with a range of up to 400 kilometers.
With 65% of the market share accounting for electric vehicle models with a range of up to 500 kilometers, CATL’s approach to mixing sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries is promising for the future of cost-effective and efficient electric vehicles.
While CATL’s sodium-ion batteries were initially expected to be used mainly in energy storage and two-wheeled vehicles, an unnamed Chinese power battery maker has already begun fitting sodium-ion batteries into passenger cars.
Hina Battery unveiled three sodium-ion battery cell products in February 2023 and announced a partnership with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC). JAC’s Sehol E10X model was the first to carry sodium-ion batteries, and a test vehicle with a battery pack capacity of 25 kWh and an energy density of 120 Wh/kg has a range of 252 km and supports fast charging from 3C to 4C.
As the demand for cost-effective and efficient electric vehicles continues to grow, the future looks promising for sodium-ion batteries, and CATL is at the forefront of this innovative technology.
