Chinese battery makers are racing to turn sodium, the stuff behind table salt, into the next big power source for cars and data centers. CATL, BYD and others have announced sodium-ion and solid-state advances that promise cheaper cells, safer storage and better performance in harsh conditions. If even part of those claims holds up, this new chemistry could shift how the world thinks about batteries far beyond a single “breakthrough.”
The core idea is simple: swap scarce lithium for abundant sodium without sacrificing too much performance. That swap is already moving from lab benches into pilot lines, grid deals and early electric vehicles, pointing to a broader industrial shift rather than a one-off science headline.
Why sodium is suddenly serious
For years, sodium-ion batteries were treated as a science project, interesting but not ready to compete with lithium-ion cells that power phones, laptops and most electric cars. That view is changing fast as major Chinese firms throw their weight behind the chemistry. Chinese firm CATL has made a series of advances in sodium-ion batteries, showing that the world’s largest cell makers now see commercial potential rather than just academic promise, and that change in attitude matters as much as any lab result.
Part of sodium’s appeal is basic economics. Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries because sodium is abundant and low cost, easing supply concerns that have dogged lithium and cobalt. One technical review of sodium-ion thermal management notes that most real progress has come in just the past decade, yet the pace is now picking up as companies chase cheaper storage for cars and the grid.
CATL, Naxtra and the cold-weather edge
CATL’s push is not just about cost; it is also about performance in conditions where lithium cells struggle. The company’s Naxtra sodium-ion battery uses sodium instead of lithium, a chemistry shift that changes how ions move through the cell and how the pack behaves in real-world use. Reporting on CATL’s Naxtra design says the battery improves range in freezing temperatures, a weak spot for many current electric vehicles that see their winter driving distance drop sharply when the mercury falls.
That cold-weather strength is tied to how sodium ions interact with the battery’s internal structure. Lithium-ion batteries can suffer from slower ion movement and higher resistance at low temperatures, which hurts power and range. The new sodium designs CATL is working on are tuned to keep performance more stable as conditions get harsher. For drivers in colder regions, that can matter more than a small hit in peak range, because a car that behaves predictably in winter is easier to plan around and trust.
Faster charging and the lithium bottleneck
Sodium-ion cells also behave differently when you plug them in. Many people know the feeling of watching a phone rocket from 0 to 50% and then crawl from 80% to 100%. That slowdown is not a software trick; it is a side effect of how lithium-ion batteries handle charge near the top of their capacity. As one explainer on phone charging behavior notes, lithium ions start to repel each other and stress the cell as it fills up, so charging slows down to protect the battery.
Researchers argue that sodium-ion chemistry can ease some of that top-end stress, which in theory allows faster, more even charging without hammering the battery. Coverage of CATL’s fast-charging work says the company is targeting these bottlenecks, aiming to improve quick charging without giving up safety. If sodium packs can take repeated high-power charges with less wear, they could cut charging times for both cars and devices.
From lab to road: EVs test sodium claims
The real test for any battery chemistry is whether carmakers will put it into a vehicle that customers can buy. On that front, the sodium story is already messy, and that is a good thing because it means there is actual competition. One report says Chinese carmaker Changan Automotive is set to offer the world’s first mass-produced passenger EV with a sodium-ion battery, using the car to show that sodium cells can handle daily driving in at least certain markets.
Another outlet states that the world’s first EV with a sodium-ion battery has already reached customers, crediting CATL with developing the sodium pack for that car and describing the firm as a leading EV battery maker, according to one account. The conflict between “set to offer” and “has landed” shows how quickly this space is moving and how marketing claims can blur the line between pilot fleets and true mass production. What matters for drivers is that sodium cells are now leaving the lab and entering real vehicles, which will reveal how they handle fast charging, winter mornings and years of wear.
BYD, 10,000 cycles and the solid-state push
CATL is not alone in betting on sodium. BYD is pairing sodium chemistry with solid-state designs that replace flammable liquid electrolytes with solid materials. A video on BYD’s battery plans describes major steps in solid-state and sodium batteries and argues that this could reshape how long electric vehicles last before their packs degrade.
Separate reporting notes that Tesla rival BYD is talking about new battery tech with a 10,000-cycle lifespan and aims for solid-state production by 2027, according to coverage of long-life cells. A 10,000-cycle target, if reached in mass production, would dwarf the typical life of many current EV packs and even many cars themselves. The claim is still unproven because we lack long-term data from vehicles on the road, but it shows how hard Chinese EV giants are pushing to turn battery longevity into a selling point.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
