One researcher I spoke with on the time steered that sodium-ion batteries won’t compete immediately with lithium-ion batteries however may as a substitute discover specialised makes use of the place the chemistry made sense. Two years later, I feel we’re beginning to see what these are.
One rising phase that could possibly be a giant win for sodium-ion: electrical micromobility automobiles, like scooters and three-wheelers. Since these automobiles are likely to journey shorter distances at decrease speeds than vehicles, the decrease power density of sodium-ion batteries won’t be as massive a deal.
There’s an incredible BBC story from final week that profiled efforts to place sodium-ion batteries in electrical scooters. It centered on one Chinese language firm known as Yadea, which is among the largest makers of electrical two- and three-wheelers on this planet. Yadea has introduced a handful of sodium-powered fashions to the market up to now, promoting about 1,000 of the scooters within the first three months of 2025, based on the corporate’s assertion to the BBC. It’s early days, however it’s fascinating to see this market rising.
Sodium-ion batteries are additionally seeing vital progress in stationary power storage installations, together with some on the grid. (Once more, in case you’re not anxious about carting the battery round and becoming it into the restricted package deal of a car, power density isn’t so necessary.)
The Baochi Vitality Storage Station that simply opened in Yunnan province, China, is a hybrid system that makes use of each lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries and has a capability of 400 megawatt-hours. And Natron Vitality within the US is amongst these concentrating on different prospects for stationary storage, particularly going after knowledge facilities.
Whereas smaller automobiles and stationary installations seem like the early wins for sodium, some corporations aren’t giving up on utilizing the choice for EVs as properly. The Chinese language battery big CATL introduced earlier this yr that it plans to provide sodium-ion batteries for heavy-duty vehicles beneath the model title Naxtra Battery.
Finally, lithium is the juggernaut of the battery business, and going face to face goes to be robust for any various chemistry. However sticking with niches that make sense may assist sodium-ion make progress at a time after I’d argue we want each profitable battery sort we will get.
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