The electric vehicle (EV) industry ended 2025 with a major shift. Sodium-ion batteries, long viewed as a secondary technology, have now become a serious contender in the EV battery race.
Two major developments marked this shift: CATL’s commercial production of its Naxtra sodium-ion cells and Zhaona New Energy’s announcement of a high-density solid-state sodium-ion prototype. These breakthroughs could push sodium to the front of the pack in affordable and sustainable battery technology.
1. Sodium Clears the Energy Hurdle
CATL launched its Naxtra sodium-ion brand in April 2025. Mass production began in December, and the new cells reached an energy density of 175 Wh/kg. This performance exceeded many lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which typically range between 160 and 170 Wh/kg. The Naxtra cells now allow full-size EVs to achieve up to 500 kilometers of range. This puts sodium-ion batteries in direct competition with mainstream lithium-based alternatives.
Zhaona New Energy added another milestone in December. The company revealed a solid-state sodium-ion battery that delivers an energy density of 348.5 Wh/kg. The design uses a ceramic-coated structure and eliminates the anode, which improves both energy density and long-term stability. This result brings sodium-ion performance closer to high-end nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lithium batteries.
2. Lower Cost, Better in Cold, Safer to Ship
Sodium-ion batteries provide three clear advantages: cost reduction, cold-weather reliability, and shipping safety.
Sodium is inexpensive and widely available. It does not require high-cost materials like cobalt or nickel and can be sourced from sea salt. It also avoids copper by using aluminum current collectors. This allows battery makers to cut production costs significantly. Analysts estimate sodium-ion cells could drop to $40/kWh, far lower than current LFP costs, which hover around $70/kWh. That price point makes $20,000 EVs commercially viable without subsidies.
In cold climates, sodium-ion cells show strong performance. The Naxtra batteries retain 90% of their capacity even at -40°C. This addresses one of lithium’s biggest flaws, significant range loss in freezing conditions.
Sodium-ion batteries can also be safely discharged to 0.0V without causing damage, unlike lithium batteries, which must retain a minimum charge to avoid internal short circuits. This zero-voltage tolerance improves safety during storage and transportation by reducing the risk of thermal runaway. It also allows simpler packaging and helps lower overall shipping and handling costs.
3. Mixing Sodium and Lithium
Battery makers are increasingly exploring a dual-chemistry approach rather than relying on a single cell type. In these hybrid concepts, sodium-ion cells are used for better cold-weather performance, fast charge and discharge, and lower costs, while lithium-ion cells continue to provide high energy density for long driving range.
Such designs aim to balance performance and cost, with long-range figures still driven mainly by lithium-ion chemistry rather than sodium-ion alone. The mixed-chemistry approach gives automakers more flexibility to tune battery behavior for different climates, use cases, and regional requirements, although large-scale commercial deployment is still in the early stages.
4. Global Race to Build with Salt
Sodium-ion battery production is scaling rapidly worldwide, with China leading the push through companies such as CATL, BYD, and HiNa Battery. BYD’s new plant in Qinghai is already producing sodium-ion cells for entry-level electric vehicles.
India is also increasing investment via players like Reliance and KPIT, focusing on applications such as three-wheelers and light commercial vehicles. In Europe, France-based TIAMAT is developing fast-charging sodium-ion cells, while in the U.S., companies like Natron Energy are targeting grid-scale energy storage solutions.
Sodium’s wide availability gives countries an opportunity to reduce dependence on lithium imports. It also removes the need for cobalt and nickel mining, which comes with high environmental and ethical costs. Sodium-ion batteries are easier to recycle and meet new sustainability standards in Europe and other regions.
5. Will Sodium Replace Lithium?
Not entirely. Lithium batteries still dominate in performance-heavy applications such as sports cars and long-haul trucks. They remain lighter and more compact for the same energy capacity. However, sodium-ion batteries now offer a better fit for most consumer EVs. They reduce costs, improve cold-weather performance, and simplify logistics. These advantages make sodium a more practical choice for mass adoption.
The sodium-ion shift represents more than a new battery type. It changes the structure of the EV industry. By solving cost, climate, and safety challenges at once, sodium-ion batteries are well-positioned to power the next phase of global electrification.
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