The Dilemma of Lithium Batteries: Can Sodium-Ion Batteries Provide the Solution?

Sodium-ion batteries are quietly making significant progress.

One of the driving forces behind the booming new energy vehicle (NEV) industry is the continuous innovation in battery technology.

In addition to lithium-ion batteries, the mainstream technology, emerging technologies such as solid-state batteries and sodium-ion batteries are also gaining traction and are expected to reshape the industry landscape.

Under the spotlight of technological iteration, sodium-ion batteries, like pragmatic cultivators, have quietly transitioned from the laboratory to industrialisation.

HiNa Battery announced on March 28 the global debut of a sodium-ion battery solution for commercial vehicles, a move that undoubtedly marks a critical step in the application of sodium-ion batteries. Meanwhile, CATL and BYD, as leading battery companies, have also revealed recent progress in sodium-ion battery development.

"Sodium-ion batteries have now reached the industrialisation stage, and large-scale applications are about to begin. We are on the eve of a breakthrough in the sodium-ion battery industry, and the market explosion is imminent," emphasized Li Shujun, General Manager of Beijing HiNa Battery Technology Co., Ltd., in an interview with Gasgoo.

Behind the battery industry's entry into the TWh era, the lithium battery industry still faces challenges such as resource constraints, lithium carbonate prices, and safety performance.

Faced with the "dilemma" of lithium batteries, can sodium-ion battery technology become the "antidote" and lead the industry into a new chapter? The answer is quietly emerging.

Industrial Signals Behind Technological Iteration

According to data released by the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance (referred to as the "Power Battery Alliance"), in Q1 of last year, the installed capacity of sodium-ion batteries reached 0.7MWh, with CATL being the only supporting battery company. By July, the installed capacity had increased to 1.5MWh, with Farasis Energy and HiNa Battery joining CATL as supporting companies.

Undeniably, this marks the accelerated entry of China's sodium-ion batteries into the commercial application stage. Correspondingly, sodium-ion batteries have seen numerous new developments recently, with HiNa Battery's sodium-ion commercial vehicle solution particularly standing out.

With the advent of the comprehensive electrification era, electrification led by passenger vehicles has largely been completed, and the new energy market is simultaneously embarking on the electrification of commercial vehicles. In Li Shujun's view, the commercial vehicle market has broad prospects and diverse application scenarios. Except for urban buses, the electrification rate of other commercial vehicle scenarios is mostly below 10%. With the rapid development of the industry, end-users are demanding higher performance from power battery systems.

Against this backdrop, HiNa Battery's commercial vehicle sodium-ion battery solution achieves three key features: "less installation, fast charging, and multi-use," marking the world's first application of sodium-ion batteries in electric heavy-duty trucks.

It is reported that the solution offers four product models—Haixing K150, Haixing K210, Haixing K280, and Haixing K350—tailored to the differentiated needs of various scenarios. The first two products are designed for short-haul transportation, while the latter two are precisely positioned to meet the technical demands of the logistics and transportation sector.

Product data shows that the battery cells used in this solution achieve an energy density of over 165Wh/kg, can complete a 100% charge in 20-25 minutes, and maintain a cycle life of over 8,000 cycles in fast-charging mode. The remaining battery capacity can be accurately measured within 2%, and the temperature rise during fast charging is ≤10°C. Combined with the performance advantage of stable discharge across a wide temperature range of -40°C to 45°C, the solution effectively reduces battery energy loss, significantly improves energy utilization, and provides all-weather reliable support for commercial vehicles.

So, why are companies targeting the commercial vehicle sector for sodium-ion battery applications?

Yuan Shuai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Zhongguancun IoT Industry Alliance, stated that commercial vehicles have high requirements for battery cost, safety, and stability, areas where sodium-ion batteries excel. The commercial vehicle market, as a breakthrough point for sodium-ion batteries, has optimistic market prospects and mass production expectations.

Regarding technological innovation in the battery industry, Robin Zeng once remarked, "The battery industry is full of challenges, especially in the continuous exploration of electrification and chemistry. Only through constant innovation can one lead the market."

Since its official release of the first-generation sodium-ion battery in July 2021, CATL has been committed to unlocking the potential of sodium-ion batteries and bringing them into the spotlight.

Notably, CATL also revealed during a recent earnings call that significant progress has been made in the development of its second-generation sodium-ion battery, with performance indicators approaching those of the current mainstream LFP batteries. Moreover, the cost advantages will become more pronounced with large-scale applications.

BYD's annual report, released on March 24, disclosed its sodium-ion battery R&D project: achieving a battery cell capacity of 200Ah, a cycle performance of over 10,000 cycles, and superior safety, power, and high/low-temperature performance compared to lithium batteries. The company has also successfully implemented MWh-level energy storage systems.

Acting as a "Balancer" for the Lithium Battery Industry

According to statistics from the Power Battery Alliance, including all vehicle power batteries and most energy storage batteries, China produced and sold 1,096.8GWh and 1,039.5GWh of lithium-ion batteries in 2024, respectively. This indicates that, after previous growth, China's lithium battery industry has entered the TWh era.

Behind this glorious achievement of the "TWh" era lies the unwavering confidence of upstream and downstream companies in the lithium battery industry chain in the market prospects, their relentless pursuit of technological innovation, and their visionary strategic layouts. However, the severe competitive landscape currently faced by the lithium battery industry cannot be ignored, with issues such as price wars and operational challenges becoming increasingly apparent.

For example, the fluctuations in lithium carbonate prices have caused turbulence in the industry chain. Driven by the surge in domestic NEV sales, lithium carbonate batteries have been in short supply since 2021, leading to a continuous rise in lithium carbonate prices. As supply gradually saturated, lithium carbonate prices began to pull back from the end of 2022 and have been declining since.

Once, "lithium" was the key to success. Now, with the slowdown in end-user demand, lithium prices have been on a downward trend. This has also made companies in the lithium battery industry chain experience a "roller coaster" in their operations. Ganfeng Lithium, known as the "Lithium King," reported a loss in 2024, marking its first loss since its listing in 2010.

In contrast, sodium-ion batteries are highly anticipated due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to overcome resource bottlenecks. Sodium-ion batteries do not contain lithium or cobalt, elements essential for traditional power batteries. Additionally, sodium's crustal abundance is 2.75%, 400 times that of lithium. BYD also mentioned in its financial report that the global abundance of sodium resources can effectively mitigate the risk of lithium resource shortages.

Some industry insiders have also commented, "Sodium-ion battery technology has arrived at the right time. With lithium carbonate prices fluctuating like a roller coaster, this has somewhat relieved the pressure on automakers."

Hu Yongsheng, Director of the Clean Energy Laboratory at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, publicly stated, "Once sodium-ion batteries achieve large-scale production, they will act as a 'balancer' for the development of China's lithium battery industry, preventing lithium battery prices from fluctuating as violently as before."

Moreover, safety issues with lithium batteries still persist. Previously, lithium batteries were highly sought after by companies and the market due to their high energy density. Now, as the penetration rate of NEVs gradually increases, the safety issues of lithium batteries are becoming more prominent.

Li Shujun stated that the fast-charging capability of sodium-ion batteries, which allows them to be fully charged while maintaining a long cycle life, gives them a clear advantage over lithium-ion batteries, including future solid-state batteries. BYD also mentioned in its financial report that its sodium-ion energy storage batteries offer superior safety, cycle performance, and reasonable, controllable costs, further enhancing the competitiveness of its products.

In the face of the "dilemma" of lithium batteries, sodium-ion batteries complement them well. Therefore, Yuan Shuai believes that the development of sodium-ion batteries should be approached with objectivity and rationality. In the future, sodium-ion batteries and lithium batteries will coexist in a complementary and mutually beneficial relationship.

It can be said that sodium-ion batteries, with their advantages of abundant resources, low cost, and high safety, are rapidly integrating into the new energy industry chain as an important supplement to lithium batteries, providing a new technological path for global energy transformation.

Poised to Challenge the LFP Battery Line

Looking back at the development of sodium-ion batteries in the automotive sector, it has been a journey of steady progress and refinement of product performance.

In July 2021, CATL released its first-generation sodium-ion battery, which can be applied to various electrified transportation scenarios, especially excelling in high-cold regions, and is also flexible enough to meet the application needs of the energy storage sector. In April 2023, at the Chery iCAR brand night, CATL announced that sodium-ion batteries would debut in Chery models.

At the end of 2023, the first sodium-ion battery pure electric A00-class model, the JMC E200, jointly developed by Farasis Energy and JMC New Energy, officially rolled off the production line.

In January 2024, JAC Ywei officially began mass delivery of the sodium-ion battery version of the "Flower Fairy" in Anqing, Anhui. The model is equipped with 32140 sodium-ion cylindrical battery cells supplied by HiNa Battery, with a single cell capacity of 12Ah and an energy density of ≥130Wh/kg, adopting a technical route of copper-based layered oxide + hard carbon.

So, at what stage are sodium-ion batteries now? In Li Shujun's view, "We are on the eve of a breakthrough in the sodium-ion battery industry, and the market explosion is imminent. It's all about who can deliver the final push."

It is reported that BYD is also committed to developing a new chemical system with ultra-long life, super safety, and extremely low cost, having established the production process for sodium-ion batteries and implemented MWh-level energy storage systems, laying a solid foundation for the large-scale application of sodium-ion batteries.

CATL has never given up on the development of sodium-ion batteries. When CATL released its first-generation sodium-ion battery in 2021, its innovative lithium-sodium hybrid battery pack also made its debut at the launch event. In October of last year, CATL released the XuanYao Super Hybrid Battery for extended-range/hybrid models, which is the best embodiment of lithium-sodium complementarity.

CATL's pioneering lithium-sodium AB battery system integration technology integrates sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries into the same battery pack, with the sodium-ion battery placed in the low-temperature zone of the PACK, thereby breaking the system's low-temperature bottleneck and increasing low-temperature range by 5%. This not only compensates for the current energy density shortcomings of sodium-ion batteries but also leverages their excellent low-temperature performance, creating a "1+1>2" solution.

Currently, the XuanYao Super Hybrid Battery has been implemented in models from Li Auto, Avatr, Deep Blue, Changan Qiyuan, and Neta Auto, with approximately 30 models from multiple brands set to be equipped with it.

CATL further stated that the breakthrough in second-generation sodium-ion battery technology is expected to bring new competitive variables to the new energy industry.

Wu Kai, Chief Scientist at CATL, previously stated that the second-generation sodium-ion battery has been developed and is capable of operating normally in extremely cold environments. Wu Kai also mentioned that the second-generation sodium-ion battery is expected to be launched in 2025, with the ability to discharge normally at temperatures as low as -40°C, a breakthrough performance that makes it promising for large-scale applications in extremely cold regions.

Currently, LFP batteries generally have an energy density of 120-180Wh/kg. Considering the goal set by Robin Zeng at the release of the first-generation sodium-ion battery in 2021—to develop the next-generation sodium-ion battery with an energy density of over 200Wh/kg—it can be inferred that CATL's second-generation sodium-ion battery is expected to match or even surpass the energy density of LFP batteries.In a previous interview, Robin Zeng expressed confidence in the second-generation sodium-ion products, believing that they will gradually replace LFP batteries in some small vehicles. The industry chain is preparing for scale. In Li Shujun's view, sodium-ion batteries, with their unique advantages of fast charging without damage, low-temperature resistance, over-discharge safety, and abundant resources, will work alongside lithium-ion batteries to build a new ecosystem of "dual-wheel drive and complementary advantages" in the new energy industry, jointly supporting the industrial dream of an electric China and a green future. It is reported that in terms of manufacturing processes, sodium-ion batteries can achieve perfect compatibility with lithium-ion battery production equipment and processes, enabling rapid production line switching and quick capacity deployment. As early as the release of the first-generation sodium-ion battery, CATL had already initiated corresponding industrialisation plans. Back in 2022, Sunwoda, in collaboration with Ronbay Technology and the Ningbo Institute of Materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, jointly undertook the MIIT's sodium-ion battery cathode material industrialisation project, promoting the coordinated development of the industry chain. On March 22, the National Intellectual Property Office announced a sodium-ion battery anode material patent from BTR, further optimising the capacity and kinetic performance of sodium-ion batteries, adding another breakthrough to sodium-ion battery technology. Today, the capacity of the sodium-ion battery industry chain is continuously expanding. In Sichuan, Guangdong Yangguang Technology will invest in the construction of a sodium-ion cathode material and battery project in the Ya'an Economic Development Zone, with both parties signing the "Sodium-ion Cathode Material and Battery Project Investment Agreement" on April 7. It is reported that the project, led by a state-owned company under the Yazhou Group, plans a total investment of approximately 500 million yuan, with the first phase constructing a production line for 1,000 mt of sodium-ion cathode materials annually, the second phase constructing a production line for 5,000 mt of sodium-ion cathode materials annually, and the third phase constructing a production line for 1 GWh of sodium-ion batteries annually. The first phase is expected to be operational this year. Sunwoda launched an ultra-low-temperature sodium-ion battery in 2023, featuring high energy density, high C-rate discharge, ultra-low-temperature adaptability, and high safety, meeting the application needs of A00 to A-class BEVs and PHEVs, pushing sodium-ion batteries into the practical stage. Additionally, the application scenarios of sodium-ion batteries are gradually expanding. BYD is also optimistic about the potential of sodium-ion batteries in the two-wheeler market. According to previous reports, BYD is implementing a pilot project in Shenzhen for the comprehensive application of large cylindrical sodium-ion battery electric two-wheelers in charging and swapping scenarios, aiming to achieve intelligent integration of vehicles, cabinets, and batteries. Sunwoda is accelerating the mass production of sodium-ion batteries, planning to introduce them first in the ESS and low-speed EV markets. Notably, sodium-ion batteries, with their unique advantages, provide another option for the battery ESS market. Currently, in the context of vigorously developing new-type energy storage, sodium-ion batteries are shining in the ESS sector. According to Gasgoo, HiNa Battery has implemented a business strategy of "dual-wheel drive for power batteries and ESS batteries." As early as 2023, HiNa Battery, in collaboration with JAC Group, launched the world's first batch of sodium-ion EVs. In 2024, it completed the construction of a 10 MWh sodium-ion battery ESS power station with China Southern Power Grid and a 100 MWh sodium-ion battery ESS power station with Datang Group, both fully connected to the grid for commercial operation. Recently, HiNa Battery participated in the construction of the country's largest lithium-sodium hybrid grid-forming ESS power station, the first 1P (1-hour rate) sodium-ion battery ESS project, pioneering the commercial model of sodium-ion batteries' large-scale participation in high and low C-rate composite grid operations, providing an innovative solution for the dynamic stability of the power grid under high-proportion new energy access. Li Shujun stated that in the future, HiNa Battery will continue to explore new application scenarios for sodium-ion batteries based on their unique advantages. It can be seen that from the perspective of the entire industry chain, companies are driving technological breakthroughs and industrialisation with dual wheels, leveraging their mature battery manufacturing and supply chain integration capabilities to prepare for the scale of sodium-ion batteries and seize market opportunities. Conclusion: While lithium batteries are deeply trapped in resource constraints and safety concerns, sodium-ion battery technology, with its resource advantages, cost competitiveness, and safety features, is carving out a differentiated path. From CATL's second-generation sodium-ion battery breaking the 200 Wh/kg energy density threshold to HiNa Battery's construction of a 100 MW lithium-sodium hybrid ESS power station, the industrialisation process of sodium-ion batteries is forming a virtuous cycle of "technological breakthroughs-scenario validation-capacity expansion." Sodium-ion batteries are not aiming to overthrow the lithium battery dynasty but are building a new ecosystem of "dual-wheel drive" as a complement: the former focuses on the high ground of energy density, while the latter targets the balance of cost and safety. The essence of this technological iteration is a vivid practice of the diversified energy system strategy.