April 25, 2025: Chinese battery giant CATL unveiled three transformative EV battery types on April 21, including a sodium ion design with a claimed range of 500km.

All three batteries were showcased at CATL’s inaugural Super Tech Day.

They included ‘Naxtra’ — which the firm claims is the first mass-produced sodium ion battery, boasting 175Wh/kg energy density, a 500km range and over 10,000 cycles.

CATL said the battery “operates flawlessly” at temperatures ranging from -40°C to +70°C, retaining 90% power at -40°C, and eliminates lithium dependency for greater sustainability.

The Naxtra 24V heavy-duty truck battery cuts lifecycle costs by 61% versus lead acid, according to the company.

Meanwhile, the ‘Freevoy Dual-Power’ battery features a dual-chemistry architecture with two independent energy zones. This product delivers a driving range of up to 1,500km range in sedans and supports new-generation autonomous vehicles.

According to CATL, ‘self-forming’ anode tech in Freevoy boosts volumetric energy density by 60%, offering tailored solutions such as sodium-LFP or NCM-LFP configurations.

CATL’s third innovation, the second-generation ‘Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery’, is claimed to be the world’s first LFP battery with an 800km range and a 12°C charging rate (1.3MW peak power), achieving 2.5km per second of charge. It charges from 5% to 80% in 15 minutes at -10°C, which the company said is double industry standards.

Batteries International reported last November that CATL was introducing a second-generation sodium battery that could operate in temperatures as low as -40C.

Speaking at the World Young Scientists Summit on November 18, chief scientist Wu Kai said the move marked a significant leap forward in battery technology, especially for colder regions where traditional lithium-ion batteries may falter.