CATL Begins Mass Production of Sodium-Ion Batteries

CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer based in China, has begun mass production of sodium-ion batteries this year. The batteries are touted as a new alternative for the electric vehicle industry, offering lower production costs and more abundant raw materials compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries.

CATL’s chief scientist and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Wu Kai, stated that the main manufacturing hurdles for sodium-ion batteries have now been overcome. According to the company’s roadmap, sodium-ion batteries will be used not only in passenger vehicles but also in commercial vehicles, battery swapping networks, and energy storage systems.

This move is part of CATL’s strategy to reduce dependence on lithium, whose prices are prone to volatility. The acceleration in sodium-ion battery development follows CATL securing a 60GWh supply contract, described as the world’s largest sodium-ion battery order.

Initially, the technology will be used in affordable electric vehicles and energy storage systems. However, CATL is also developing a new generation of sodium-ion batteries with higher energy density. The company aims for the next-generation sodium-ion batteries to deliver up to 600 kilometres per charge.

Beyond sodium-ion, CATL has begun long-term research into lithium-air battery technology. Simply put, this technology uses lithium metal as the anode and oxygen from the air as part of the chemical reaction to generate energy. Since it does not require storing oxygen within the battery, the system can be lighter than conventional batteries.

The primary advantage of lithium-air batteries is their potential for much higher energy density compared to current lithium-ion or solid-state batteries, which are still in development.