November 24, 2024: China’s CATL, the largest lithium cell manufacturer in the world, has announced its second-generation sodium battery that can operate in temperatures as low as -40C.
Speaking at the World Young Scientists Summit on November 18, chief scientist Wu Kai revealed the development of the battery and said that it marked a significant leap forward in battery technology, especially for colder regions where traditional lithium-ion batteries may falter.
The batteries have exhibited better safety performance and low-temperature resistance while maintaining energy density, he said. Sodium batteries have a lower incidence of battery fires than conventional lithium batteries.
The official energy density of the new sodium-ion battery has not been reported — however, CATL said it aims to exceed 200Wh/kg. Although the battery should launch in 2025, mass production is unlikely until 2027.
CATL is already manufacturing sodium-ion batteries and is using them in its new Freevoy battery pack along with traditional lithium-ion cells. The Freevoy battery is engineered specifically for use in extended range EVs. The company says the Freevoy is the world’s first hybrid vehicle battery with a range of over 400 kilometers and 4C super-fast charging.
China is leading in subcategories of lithium-based chemistries, like nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC), nickel-cobalt-aluminium oxide (NCA) and lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP). Earlier this year, state-run utility company China Southern Power Grid deployed sodium-ion batteries for stationary energy storage.
CATL is not the only battery manufacturer developing sodium-ion batteries. In January, its rival BYD, the second-largest battery manufacturer in the world started construction of a sodium-ion factory with an annual production capacity of 30 GWh. Initially, it will produce batteries with an energy density of 105Wh/kg, while later that metric is expected to increase to 130Wh per kg.
BYD expects its second-generation cells to bring the bill of materials down to the level of LFP cells in 2025 and less than 70% of LFP batteries in the long term.
