One researcher I spoke with on the time urged that sodium-ion batteries may not compete straight with lithium-ion batteries however might 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 section that may very well be an enormous win for sodium-ion: electrical micromobility autos, like scooters and three-wheelers. Since these autos are inclined to journey shorter distances at decrease speeds than vehicles, the decrease vitality density of sodium-ion batteries may not be as huge a deal.
There’s an awesome 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 likely one of the largest makers of electrical two- and three-wheelers on this planet. Yadea has introduced a handful of sodium-powered fashions to the market to date, 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, nevertheless it’s fascinating to see this market rising.
Sodium-ion batteries are additionally seeing important progress in stationary vitality storage installations, together with some on the grid. (Once more, in case you’re not apprehensive about carting the battery round and becoming it into the restricted bundle of a automobile, vitality density isn’t so vital.)
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 information facilities.
Whereas smaller autos and stationary installations seem like the early wins for sodium, some firms aren’t giving up on utilizing the choice for EVs as properly. The Chinese language battery big CATL introduced earlier this 12 months that it plans to provide sodium-ion batteries for heavy-duty vans beneath the model identify Naxtra Battery.
Finally, lithium is the juggernaut of the battery business, and going face to face goes to be powerful for any different chemistry. However sticking with niches that make sense might assist sodium-ion make progress at a time once I’d argue we want each profitable battery kind we are able to get.
This text is from The Spark, MIT Expertise Evaluate’s weekly local weather e-newsletter. To obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday, enroll right here.
