Sodium-Ion Batteries Are Coming – Cheaper, Safer and Poised to Disrupt Lithium-Ion

Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a game-changing alternative to today’s lithium-ion batteries. Imagine powering your car or home with the same sodium found in table salt – that’s the promise of this new technology. With lithium prices soaring in recent years and supply chain concerns mounting, interest in sodium-based batteries has surged. These batteries offer the tantalizing prospect of lower costs, improved safety, and use of abundant materials, leading many to ask: Could sodium-ion batteries revolutionize energy storage and electric vehicles?

In this comprehensive report, we’ll explain what sodium-ion batteries are and how they work, compare their advantages and disadvantages to lithium-ion cells, explore current applications (from electric cars to grid storage), and highlight the latest developments as of August 2025. We’ll also introduce the major companies and researchers driving sodium-ion innovation, and examine the challenges ahead for scaling up this promising technology.

What Are Sodium-Ion Batteries?

Sodium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that use sodium ions (Na⁺) to store and release energy, much like lithium-ion batteries use lithium ions. In fact, a leading expert says “sodium-ion technology is really a clone of lithium-ion technology” physics.aps.org. Structurally, they work the same way: the battery has two electrodes (a cathode and an anode) with a liquid electrolyte between them. When the battery charges and discharges, sodium ions shuttle back and forth between the electrodes through the electrolyte, while electrons flow through an external circuit to provide power physics.aps.org.

Cathode (positive electrode): Typically made of a sodium-containing compound. Researchers have developed several types of cathode materials, including sodium-based layered metal oxides, polyanionic compounds (like sodium vanadium phosphate), and Prussian blue analogs physics.aps.org. These are analogous to the lithium cobalt or lithium iron compounds used in Li-ion batteries, but formulated to host sodium ions.
Anode (negative electrode): Often made of “hard carbon”, a form of carbon that can absorb sodium ions. (Pure graphite anodes used in Li-ion don’t work well for sodium, so hard carbon – a disordered carbon – is used instead physics.aps.org.) The anode soaks up sodium ions when the battery charges, and releases them during discharge.
Electrolyte: A liquid solution with a sodium salt (such as sodium hexafluorophosphate) in organic solvents, similar in function to Li-ion electrolytes physics.aps.org. The electrolyte carries sodium ions between anode and cathode but blocks electrons, forcing electrons to go through the circuit to do useful work.

How it works: When charging, an external power source pushes electrons into the anode and pulls them from the cathode. To balance the charge, sodium ions from the cathode migrate through the electrolyte and insert into the carbon anode. During discharge, the process reverses: sodium ions leave the anode and travel back to the cathode, while the electrons flow through the circuit to power a device physics.aps.org. This rocking-chair motion of sodium ions is essentially the same principle that made lithium-ion batteries so successful, only using sodium as the charge carrier.

Advantages of Sodium-Ion Batteries

Why all the buzz about sodium? Sodium-ion batteries bring several potential advantages over traditional lithium-ion technology:

Abundant, Low-Cost Materials: Sodium is one of the most common elements on Earth – it can even be extracted from seawater. In contrast, lithium is relatively scarce and geographically concentrated. Experts note sodium is 1000 times more abundant than lithium in the earth’s crust physics.aps.org. This abundance translates to lower raw material costs; sodium carbonate costs as little as $0.05 per kilogram, versus around $15 per kilogram for lithium carbonate sodiumbatteryhub.com. In theory, this could make sodium-ion cells much cheaper to produce once the technology matures. Additionally, sodium-ion cathodes often use inexpensive metals like iron and manganese instead of costly cobalt or nickel. “Sodium-ion batteries avoid the use of rare and environmentally problematic materials like cobalt and nickel,” reducing reliance on critical minerals sodiumbatteryhub.com.
Improved Safety (Lower Fire Risk): Sodium-ion chemistry may reduce the risk of fires and thermal runaway that sometimes plague lithium batteries. Industry experts note that sodium-ion batteries are more stable at high temperatures and performed better in nail penetration and crush tests energy-storage.news. The cells are less prone to the dendrite formation and overheating that can cause lithium battery fires. In electric vehicles, the potential for reduced fire risk is a major selling point reuters.com. One Chinese battery maker even reported that their sodium-ion packs handled abuse tests (like puncturing) more safely than conventional lithium packs energy-storage.news.
Fast Charging & High Power: Despite using a heavier ion, sodium-ion cells can offer excellent power and charging speeds. Sodium ions have a more “diffuse” electric charge cloud than lithium, which surprisingly lets them slip through battery materials faster physics.aps.org. This means sodium-ion batteries can deliver high current (for acceleration or heavy power draw) and recharge quickly. Jean-Marie Tarascon, a pioneer in battery research, explains that the larger sodium ion can move quickly because of its charge distribution, potentially enabling higher power and faster charging than Li-ion physics.aps.org. In fact, a sodium-ion battery developed in France for power tools can charge in under 5 minutes and endure thousands of cycles physics.aps.org, demonstrating the high-power capability. Such fast charging could be a big advantage for EVs and devices.
Performs Better in Cold Temperatures: Users in cold climates know that lithium batteries lose performance in freezing weather. Sodium-ion chemistry has an edge here as well. Prototypes have shown the ability to operate in extreme cold (down to -20°C or even -40°C) with less capacity loss sodiumbatteryhub.com. This low-temperature resilience could make sodium batteries ideal for outdoor applications and winter use, where lithium batteries suffer.
Long Cycle Life Potential: Early data indicates sodium-ion batteries can be very durable. Some designs, particularly those using Prussian blue electrode materials, have achieved impressive cycle life – thousands or even tens of thousands of charge/discharge cycles while still retaining most of their capacity sodiumbatteryhub.com. For example, one commercial sodium-ion cell chemistry offers over 7,000 cycles (20-year lifespan) with 80% capacity retention sodiumbatteryhub.com, far beyond a typical lithium-ion battery’s life in deep cycling. Such longevity is highly attractive for stationary energy storage and other uses where the battery is cycled daily.
Environmental Sustainability: Beyond the sourcing advantages, sodium-ion batteries could be greener to produce and dispose of. They use non-toxic materials (no cobalt, no lithium salts) and potentially simplify recycling since sodium salts are easier to handle. While current sodium battery production isn’t fully optimized, experts are convinced that with scaling, sodium-ion will have an even better overall environmental performance than lithium systems physics.aps.org. Lower resource impact and the elimination of ethically problematic mining (like cobalt in conflict zones) give sodium an ethical edge.

In short, sodium-ion technology promises a cheaper, safer, and more sustainable battery. As Professor Tarascon puts it, many see this “green technology” as having “a place in the future” of energy storage physics.aps.org.

Disadvantages and Challenges of Sodium-Ion (vs. Lithium-Ion)

If sodium-ion batteries are so great, why aren’t they everywhere yet? The truth is that sodium-ion technology still faces important limitations and is playing catch-up to lithium-ion in several areas:

Lower Energy Density: The biggest drawback is that sodium-ion cells simply can’t store as much energy per weight or volume as lithium-ion cells – at least not yet. Chemically, sodium has a lower voltage and higher atomic mass than lithium, which translates to batteries that are about 20–30% lower in energy density on average physics.aps.org. In practical terms, a sodium-ion battery of a given size will deliver fewer miles of driving or hours of device use than a similarly sized lithium battery. Tarascon candidly notes that in terms of driving range, “sodium can’t beat lithium” physics.aps.org. This lower energy content means heavier or bulkier batteries are needed to achieve the same range or runtime, a critical factor for electric vehicles (EVs) where weight and space are at a premium.
Heavier Weight: Because sodium atoms are three times heavier than lithium and more material is required to compensate for lower energy, sodium-ion packs will weigh more for the same capacity. This reduces vehicle efficiency and is a key challenge for high-performance EVs. While not an issue for stationary storage, in cars every extra kilogram matters.
Nascent Technology & Scaling: Lithium-ion batteries have benefited from 30+ years of development and massive economies of scale. Sodium-ion is relatively new to commercialization – only in recent years have companies begun pilot production. As of 2025, sodium-ion cells are mostly produced in small batches or demo lines, so costs are not yet lower than lithium-ion. A Stanford analysis found that despite cheaper ingredients, current sodium batteries can still cost more per unit of energy than lithium batteries because of their lower energy density and immature manufacturing news.stanford.edu. Reaching cost parity will require continued technology breakthroughs and scaling up production (to drive down unit costs). In short, economies of scale aren’t there yet.
Limited Early Applications: Because of the above factors, sodium-ion is not (yet) a drop-in replacement for all lithium-ion uses. The first-generation sodium batteries have been targeted at niche or low-end applications (like e-scooters, entry-level EVs, or grid storage) rather than premium electric cars or smartphones. It will take time and R&D to improve energy density so that sodium-ion can compete in high-end electronics or long-range vehicles. Industry adoption might be slow until performance improves further or lithium prices spike again.
Supply Chain & Materials Challenges: While sodium itself is plentiful, sodium-ion batteries still require other materials (carbon anodes, specialty electrolytes, cathode minerals). Some leading sodium cathodes use rare or costly elements like vanadium or nickel, which could complicate the “cheap and abundant” narrative news.stanford.edu. For example, one high-performance cathode is sodium vanadium phosphate – effective but reliant on vanadium. Researchers are working to eliminate expensive elements and rely only on truly abundant ones (iron, manganese, etc.) news.stanford.edu. Additionally, new supply chains must be developed for things like battery-grade hard carbon and other sodium-specific components, since the lithium battery supply chain cannot directly be reused for sodium in all cases. Scaling these supply chains will require investment and time, though fortunately much of the existing lithium-ion production equipment can be adapted for sodium-ion cells energy-storage.news.
Higher Initial Greenhouse Footprint: Paradoxically, today’s sodium-ion batteries can have a slightly higher manufacturing carbon footprint per kWh than lithium-ion. This is because building a sodium battery with lower energy density means using more material to store the same energy, which currently results in higher emissions during production physics.aps.org. A life-cycle analysis showed sodium-ion cells releasing more greenhouse gases in production than an equivalent lithium-ion battery, mainly due to the larger mass of materials needed physics.aps.org. However, this is expected to improve as designs get more efficient. One analyst noted that this is just a “current snapshot” and that with optimization, sodium batteries could achieve better overall sustainability than lithium systems physics.aps.org.

Despite these challenges, researchers and industry leaders remain optimistic that many of the gaps can be closed. Shirley Meng, a professor at University of Chicago who has worked on batteries for 20 years, expects rapid progress now that sodium-ion products are hitting the market. “I have no doubt that the best sodium-ion batteries will work as well as lithium-ion ones in less than 10 years,” Meng says physics.aps.org. The consensus is that sodium-ion will not completely replace lithium-ion, but it doesn’t have to – even if it takes over specific niches and half the market, that would be a huge success. In fact, CATL’s founder Robin Zeng suggested sodium-ion batteries could potentially grab up to 50% of the market share for lower-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the future reuters.com. The race now is to refine the technology and scale up manufacturing to realize sodium-ion’s promise.

Current Applications and Use Cases

Sodium-ion batteries have quickly progressed from lab prototypes to real-world applications. While still emerging, they are already being piloted in several important sectors:

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Electric cars and other vehicles are a natural target for sodium-ion batteries, thanks to their cost advantages and safety. The first sodium-ion EVs have already debuted in China. In 2023, Chinese automaker JAC, in partnership with battery firm HiNa, unveiled a compact EV called the Hua Xianzi, powered by a sodium-ion battery pack sodiumbatteryhub.com. This five-seater car can drive over 155 miles (250 km) on a charge, proving that sodium-ion technology can propel a practical vehicle sodiumbatteryhub.com. Although its range is modest by today’s EV standards, it underscores the potential of sodium batteries for cost-effective urban cars. HiNa has focused on such applications for years (including electric buses and low-speed vehicles) and even built the world’s first dedicated sodium-ion battery material production line sodiumbatteryhub.com.

Other automakers are following suit. Chery Automobile (another Chinese car manufacturer) has announced plans to use CATL’s sodium-ion batteries in an upcoming model physics.aps.org. And BYD, one of the world’s largest EV battery makers, is investing in sodium-ion for smaller city cars and two-wheelers. BYD expects sodium-ion packs could be 15–30% cheaper than lithium-ion LFP packs by 2025, making them ideal for budget EVs energy-storage.news. The lower energy density means these batteries are initially being aimed at smaller vehicles or shorter-range models, where a big battery isn’t needed physics.aps.org. As a CATL spokesperson noted, the first target market for sodium-ion in EVs will likely be “smaller cars and two-wheeled vehicles” where range demands are lower physics.aps.org.

Importantly, sodium-ion’s safety and cost benefits make it attractive for electrifying vehicles that prioritize price and durability over maximum range. For instance, there is interest in using sodium batteries in electric fleet vehicles, buses, or low-speed delivery vans that don’t require long range but would benefit from lower costs and long cycle life. Even electric two-wheelers and rickshaws in developing countries could see sodium-ion adoption, since these markets are extremely price-sensitive and range needs are modest. Reports have even suggested Tesla might be considering sodium-ion batteries for its future $25,000 economy EV, to hit aggressive cost targets sodiumbatteryhub.com. (Tesla has not confirmed this, but the fact that such speculation exists shows the level of industry interest in sodium technology.)

Grid Energy Storage

The world’s largest sodium-ion battery farm – a 100 MWh (megawatt-hour) energy storage system in Hubei, China – came online in mid-2024 as part of efforts to diversify grid storage beyond lithium energy-storage.news. Each container houses sodium-ion battery racks to store renewable energy and provide backup power.

One of the most promising uses for sodium-ion batteries is in stationary energy storage – for example, storing solar or wind power and balancing the electricity grid. Here, weight and volume are less critical, while cost, safety, and lifespan are paramount. China has taken the lead in deploying sodium-ion for grid storage. In July 2024, the first phase of the world’s largest sodium-ion battery storage project went live in Qianjiang, Hubei province energy-storage.news. This installation, supplied by HiNa Battery, is a 50 MW/100 MWh battery system (scaling to 200 MWh in later phases) connected to the local power grid energy-storage.new s. Housed in dozens of shipping container-style units (see image above), the sodium battery bank can store 100,000 kWh of energy – enough to power tens of thousands of homes for an hour. The project, run by the state-owned Datang utility, is part of a national push to build large storage sites with “non-lithium” technologies to complement lithium-ion and avoid supply bottlenecks energy-storage.news.

Early results are encouraging: the sodium system in Hubei has shown high round-trip efficiency and resilience in extreme temperatures, according to the operating engineers energy-storage.news. Its cells also handled safety tests without incident (a key consideration for grid batteries that may be located near communities) energy-storage.news. China’s strategy here is strategic: while the country dominates lithium battery production today, it has only ~6% of the world’s lithium resources energy-storage.news. In contrast, it has abundant raw materials for sodium batteries (like sodium, iron, etc.). By investing in sodium-ion, China hedges against potential lithium shortages or geopolitical restrictions, ensuring energy storage expansion isn’t limited by lithium supply energy-storage.news. HiNa’s general manager, Li Shujun, boldly predicts that by 2030 a “terawatt-hour sodium-ion battery industry” will have formed energy-storage.news – in other words, sodium batteries could scale to terawatt-hour levels of annual production, supporting massive grid deployments.

Beyond China, sodium-ion is starting to find its way into other stationary storage products. In the U.S., Natron Energy has commercialized sodium-ion batteries (using a Prussian blue electrode chemistry) for data center backup power and industrial uses. Natron’s batteries, while lower in energy density, excel in rapid charge and long cycle life – they can be fully recharged in 15 minutes and cycled tens of thousands of times fossforce.com, businesswire.com. This makes them ideal for critical power systems that need instant response and frequent cycling (such as smoothing renewable power output or providing backup for server farms). In fact, in 2022 Natron opened North America’s first mass-production sodium-ion battery plant in Michigan natron.energy, and companies like United Airlines have invested in Natron to use its batteries for electrifying airport ground equipment natron.energy. In Europe, startups like Altris (Sweden) are partnering with industry (e.g. engineering firm Fluor) to build the region’s first large-scale sodium-ion manufacturing facility sodiumbatteryhub.com, aiming to supply batteries for grid storage.

Given their low cost per cycle and safety, sodium-ion batteries are poised to play a big role in the renewable energy storage boom. They can be installed in large battery farms to time-shift solar energy to nighttime, support the grid during peak demand, and provide backup power without the fire concerns of lithium. Utilities and project developers are keenly watching sodium projects in China, and pilot programs are starting elsewhere (for instance, India is also conducting trials for sodium-ion battery storage in its grid). Long-duration storage is another angle: novel sodium-based chemistries (like sodium-iron batteries) are being explored for very long cycle life, aiming to store energy for 8+ hours economically sodiumbatteryhub.com. All of this suggests that stationary storage could be the first sector where sodium-ion batteries achieve wide adoption.

Other Emerging Uses

Outside of cars and grid storage, sodium-ion batteries are finding early adoption in a few other areas:

Portable Power and Electronics: Don’t expect sodium-ion in your smartphone just yet (the cells are still too large for high-end mobile electronics). However, there have been prototypes of sodium-ion power banks and low-cost energy storage for consumer use. For example, a startup in China recently released a sodium-ion USB power bank – it’s bulkier than a lithium one but charges fast and is very safe (won’t overheat in your pocket). These are niche, but they demonstrate possibilities for consumer electronics, especially if energy density improves. In regions where affordability is key, future laptops or gadgets might use sodium-ion if they can tolerate a bit more weight.
Power Tools and Equipment: One of the first commercial products to use a sodium-ion battery was actually a cordless power drill. In 2022, the French company Tiamat (with research led by Dr. Tarascon) provided sodium-ion batteries for a power drill that can charge in under 5 minutes and last over 5,000 cycles physics.aps.org. This kind of tool shows sodium-ion can deliver high power bursts and rapid recharging – appealing for construction and industrial tools that need to be quickly juiced up. We may see more power tools, lawn mowers, or e-scooters using sodium batteries in coming years, especially for professional markets that value long cycle life.
Low-Speed Electric Mobility: Apart from cars, sodium-ion batteries are a great fit for e-bikes, electric scooters, and three-wheelers. These light electric vehicles typically have smaller batteries (so the weight penalty is manageable) and are extremely cost-sensitive in markets like India, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The first sodium-ion battery electric two-wheelers are expected soon. In one example, India’s Reliance Industries (which acquired UK sodium battery startup Faradion) is reportedly testing swappable sodium-ion battery packs for e-scooters and rickshaws sodiumbatteryhub.com. Such swappable battery stations could lower the upfront cost of EVs and leverage sodium’s fast-charging ability. Similarly, Chinese firm BYD has a partnership with Huaihai to develop sodium-ion batteries for lightweight urban EVs and e-bikes sodiumbatteryhub.com.
Aviation and Niche Transport: Research is even underway to use sodium-based batteries in niche areas like electric aviation (in hybrid forms) or as range extenders. These are experimental, but creative applications (for instance, a hybrid sodium-air battery being tested for aircraft sodiumbatteryhub.com) point to the breadth of exploration happening with sodium electrochemistry.

Overall, sodium-ion batteries are transitioning from the lab to the real world. Early use cases focus on cost-sensitive and safety-prioritized applications: think grid storage, fleet vehicles, entry-level EVs, and devices where ultra-high energy density isn’t critical. As the technology improves, we can expect its reach to broaden into more mainstream electronics and longer-range vehicles. But even in the near term, sodium-ion is proving its value in areas lithium-ion might not be ideal due to cost or safety.

Major Companies and Research Driving Sodium-Ion Development

The push for sodium-ion batteries has become a global effort, involving startup innovators, academic labs, and some of the world’s biggest battery manufacturers. Here are some of the key players and contributors in the sodium-ion landscape:

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) – China’s Battery Giant: CATL is the world’s largest EV battery maker (supplying Tesla, among others) and a first mover on sodium-ion. In 2021, CATL was the first major company to unveil a sodium-ion battery prototype reuters.com. They’ve since developed a second-generation sodium-ion cell (branded “Naxtra”) with ~160–175 Wh/kg energy density reuters.com, nearly on par with lithium iron phosphate cells. CATL plans to begin mass production of sodium-ion batteries by December 2025 reuters.com. Robin Zeng (CATL’s founder) is bullish on sodium-ion, envisioning it could take over a significant portion of the market from LFP lithium batteries reuters.com. CATL is also pioneering a “dual chemistry” approach – pairing sodium-ion and lithium-ion cells in one battery pack to leverage the strengths of each. This could mitigate the lower range of sodium while cutting cost. As the industry leader, CATL’s aggressive push lends huge credibility to sodium-ion tech.
HiNa Battery – Pioneers in China: HiNa (also known as Zhongke Haina) is a Chinese startup spun out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and is dedicated solely to sodium-ion batteries. They have been at this for a decade and achieved several firsts: first pilot production line, first deployment in electric vehicles (the JAC car), and supplying the world’s largest sodium grid project sodiumbatteryhub.com, energy-storage.news. HiNa produces various cell formats (cylindrical, pouch, prismatic) and is scaling up manufacturing. The Chinese government’s backing of projects like the Datang storage farm shows confidence in HiNa’s tech. HiNa’s work focuses on low-cost materials (they use Prussian blue cathodes and hard carbon) and they claim to have solved earlier performance issues. Their general manager, Li Shujun, is one of the most vocal proponents of sodium-ion globally energy-storage.news.
BYD and Other Chinese Firms: Besides CATL and HiNa, nearly every major Chinese battery company has a sodium-ion program. BYD, through a joint venture with Huaihai, is setting up sodium battery production aimed at small EVs. Farasis Energy, another Chinese battery maker, has announced sodium-ion plans and prototype vehicle deals physics.aps.org. Companies like CNGR and Great Wall have invested in sodium battery material production. There’s even a Chinese national standard for sodium-ion batteries established in 2023 sodiumbatteryhub.com, signaling government support. In short, China Inc. is all-in on sodium-ion, investing heavily to commercialize it as a complement to lithium.
Faradion (UK/India): Faradion was one of the earliest Western startups (founded in 2010 in the UK) to work on sodium-ion. They developed a proprietary carbon anode and cathode chemistry that achieved respectable energy density (~140 Wh/kg) and good cycle life. In 2022, India’s Reliance Industries acquired Faradion for $135 million, aiming to manufacture sodium-ion batteries at scale in India sodiumbatteryhub.com. Reliance (a major energy conglomerate) plans to use Faradion’s technology for everything from grid storage to batteries for two- and three-wheeler EVs in India’s huge market. They are even testing swappable sodium battery packs for electric scooters as mentioned. Faradion’s team, now under Reliance, is a major player to watch, bridging UK innovation with India’s manufacturing push.
Natron Energy (USA): Natron is a Silicon Valley company focusing on a unique Prussian Blue sodium-ion chemistry. Rather than competing on energy density, Natron’s batteries are ultra-fast charging and extremely long-lived, which is perfect for data centers, telecom backup, and industrial power. They have attracted investments from giants like Chevron and United Airlines natron.energy. Natron opened a production facility in Michigan – notably making it the first commercial sodium-ion cell producer in the U.S. natron.energy. They are expanding into markets like EV fast-charger support (buffer batteries) and hope to scale up to gigafactory levels by late 2020s fossforce.com. Natron’s success could spur more American interest in sodium-ion, especially for grid and military uses where safety is key.
Tiamat (France): Co-founded by Professor Tarascon, Tiamat is a French startup working on high-power sodium-ion batteries. They focus on a polyanionic cathode (sodium vanadium fluorophosphate) that gives excellent power and good lifespan physics.aps.org. Tiamat’s cells were used in the first sodium battery power drill and they continue to refine the chemistry. While small, Tiamat represents Europe’s research strength in batteries. The EU has also funded sodium-ion R&D through projects and consortia (for example, the NAIMA project involved several European labs and companies collaborating on sodium battery development).
Academic Research Labs: Numerous universities and national labs are advancing sodium-ion science. In the U.S., a $50 million Department of Energy consortium called LENS (Lab for Energy Storage and Sustainability) was launched to accelerate sodium-ion research sodiumbatteryhub.com. This involves institutions like Florida State University, Stanford (SLAC), and others working on materials breakthroughs. In China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and universities have whole teams devoted to sodium-ion electrodes and electrolytes. Europe has leading researchers in Spain, France, the UK, and Germany pushing the envelope (for instance, Spain’s ICMM developed a new sustainable cathode, and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute is looking at solid-state sodium batteries sodiumbatteryhub.com). The research community is exploring next-gen ideas like anode-free sodium metal batteries, solid-state sodium-ion, and novel electrolytes to improve performance sodiumbatteryhub.com. This ongoing innovation is crucial for solving current limitations.
Other Notables: Altris in Sweden (making iron-based cathode materials and partnering for production engineering), Aquion (a now-defunct US company that made aqueous sodium-ion saltwater batteries for off-grid use, whose legacy technology is being revisited), Zooline (Zoolnasm) in China (a newer entrant that raised $42M for sodium-ion manufacturing sodiumbatteryhub.com), and various startups in India (e.g., an IIT spin-off developing fast-charge sodium cells sodiumbatteryhub.com). Even big companies like Stellantis (the automaker) have shown interest – Stellantis Ventures invested in a sodium battery startup to diversify future EV battery supply. Meanwhile, Tesla’s former battery experts have launched ventures focusing on sodium-ion solutions, recognizing the market potential sodiumbatteryhub.com.

Together, these companies and teams form a vibrant ecosystem that is rapidly bringing sodium-ion batteries to market. From Asia to Europe to the Americas, significant resources are being poured into R&D, scaling pilot lines, and starting mass production planning. The competition and collaboration among these players are accelerating improvements. As one industry observer quipped, 2025 is shaping up to be “the year of the sodium-ion battery,” with more products and announcements coming in rapid succession.

Recent News and Developments (2024–2025)

The sodium-ion battery field has been heating up with a flurry of announcements, investments, and technical milestones. Here is a summary of the most significant recent developments as of August 2025:

April 2025 – CATL Unveils “Naxtra” Second-Gen Battery: Chinese battery giant CATL launched a new Naxtra sodium-ion battery brand, announcing that mass production will begin by December 2025 reuters.com. The first Naxtra cells will have an energy density of ~175 Wh/kg – nearly matching the LFP lithium batteries used in many EVs reuters.com. CATL also revealed a plan to use a dual battery system (like two engines on a plane) pairing sodium-ion packs with lithium packs to improve overall performance and safety reuters.com. Ouyang Chuying, CATL’s R&D co-president, noted sodium-ion batteries could have a cost advantage over lithium-ion as the supply chain scales up reuters.com. This high-profile launch underscores that CATL sees sodium-ion as a commercially viable product in the very near term.
July 2024 – World’s Largest Sodium Battery Farm Goes Live: A 100 MWh sodium-ion battery energy storage station (50 MW power) was connected to China’s grid in Hubei province energy-storage.news. Built by HiNa Battery and Datang Group, it’s the first phase of a 200 MWh project – the largest sodium-ion installation worldwide. The project is part of a national push for lithium alternatives in grid storage and is already delivering stable energy to the grid energy-storage.news. This marked a major validation of sodium-ion for utility-scale storage, proving it can be deployed at >100 MWh scale. The project manager reported excellent performance, citing better efficiency and long cycle life even at extreme temperatures for the sodium system energy-storage.news. China’s state media highlighted that such projects reduce reliance on imported lithium and leverage domestic resources energy-storage.news.
Early 2024 – First Sodium-Ion EVs Enter Production: In January 2024, the Chinese automaker JAC began serial production of an EV model powered by sodium-ion batteries, following successful prototype tests in 2023 electrive.com. Around the same time, rival automaker Chery unveiled an EV with CATL’s sodium-ion pack slated for release in China. These were the world’s first commercial electric cars with no lithium in their battery packs. While produced in limited quantity initially, they demonstrate that sodium-ion is road-ready. The JAC/HiNa Hua Xianzi EV with ~250 km range garnered significant attention as a proof of concept sodiumbatteryhub.com. Analysts expect more Chinese models (especially inexpensive city cars) to adopt sodium-ion options in the next 1–2 years, given the cost savings.
Investments & Partnerships Booming: The past two years saw major investments in sodium-ion startups and production. Besides Reliance’s acquisition of Faradion, notable deals include TDK Ventures investing in US startup Peak Energy for sodium-ion grid batteries sodiumbatteryhub.com, and United Airlines investing in Natron Energy to electrify airport equipment with sodium-ion cells natron.energy. In Europe, Fluor Corporation partnered with Altris to design what’s touted as the world’s first large-scale sodium-ion cell factory, aiming to start production in Sweden sodiumbatteryhub.com. Several government grants have also been awarded: e.g., California Energy Commission granted funds to a sodium-ion project (Unigrid) to set up a pilot production line in the US sodiumbatteryhub.com. Venture capital interest is high, with multiple startups raising seed funding in 2024–2025 as the technology inches closer to commercialization.
Technological Breakthroughs: Researchers continue to tackle sodium-ion’s remaining hurdles. In late 2024, a team at Princeton University developed a new cathode material that significantly boosts energy retention and stability, helping close the gap with lithium performance sodiumbatteryhub.com. MIT’s Dincă Lab introduced an innovative organic cathode (TPAQ) that delivered high energy density with potentially lower cost sodiumbatteryhub.com. On the anode side, progress with advanced hard carbon and composite anodes has improved capacity and lifespan sodiumbatteryhub.com. Some experimental cells are now achieving energy densities up to 200 Wh/kg (approaching mid-tier lithium-ion cells) and cycle lives of 10,000+ cycles with >80% capacity retention sodiumbatteryhub.com. These advancements, many of them published in 2024–2025, show that the performance gap is narrowing. As one headline put it, “Northvolt vs. Natron: sodium-ion innovation battle” – even established lithium battery players are pouring R&D into sodium-ion tech forumnordic.com.
Policy and Market Trends: Governments and industry analysts are increasingly acknowledging sodium-ion in their forecasts. In 2025, market research firm IDTechEx projected the sodium-ion battery market could reach several billion dollars by 2030, especially in stationary storage. The International Energy Agency (IEA) mentioned sodium-ion batteries for the first time in its annual Energy Storage outlook, citing them as a key emerging technology for diversifying battery supply. Meanwhile, trade tensions and resource security concerns are indirectly boosting sodium-ion adoption – for instance, the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act’s emphasis on domestic battery supply has opened doors for sodium-based supply chains that don’t depend on imported lithium sodiumbatteryhub.com. China’s restrictions on graphite exports (crucial for lithium batteries) have also made other countries consider alternative chemistries like sodium that could use locally sourced materials, prompting headlines like “How trade tensions fuel adoption of sodium-ion batteries.” sodiumbatteryhub.com

Overall, the news of the past year paints a picture of rapid progress and rising momentum for sodium-ion batteries. From lab improvements to actual products hitting the market, the technology is advancing on all fronts. Industry experts regularly quote a famous line: “sodium-ion’s time is finally coming.” The next few years will be critical in determining just how far and how fast this salt-based solution can go.

Challenges and Outlook

Despite the excitement, significant challenges remain before sodium-ion batteries can truly disrupt the status quo. Scaling up production is priority number one. Current global lithium-ion manufacturing capacity is on the order of hundreds of gigawatt-hours per year; sodium-ion is still in the low single digits at best. It will take massive investment in new gigafactories and supply chains to approach lithium’s scale. The encouraging news is that much of the existing battery manufacturing know-how can be transferred – sodium-ion cells can often be made on similar equipment as lithium cells energy-storage.news. As one industry publication noted, sodium-ion’s design is similar enough to be a “drop in” to current production lines in some cases energy-storage.news. This means that if demand and economics justify it, companies could pivot some manufacturing to sodium-ion relatively quickly.

Another challenge is improving energy density and performance to broaden sodium-ion’s applications. The gap has been closing, but further breakthroughs are needed to make sodium-ion suitable for long-range EVs or ultra-compact electronics. Researchers are pursuing multiple paths: novel high-voltage cathodes, optimized electrolytes for stability, and even exploring sodium-metal anodes (analogous to lithium metal batteries) to boost capacity. There is also work on hybrid sodium-lithium batteries and even solid-state sodium batteries that could change the game if realized sodiumbatteryhub.com. The next decade of R&D will likely yield steady improvements. As Dr. Meng suggested, real-world deployments will feed data back to labs and accelerate learning physics.aps.org. Every cycle in a grid battery or EV gives engineers insight to refine the tech.

From a supply chain perspective, sodium-ion shifts demand away from lithium, cobalt, and nickel, but it will increase demand for other materials like high-purity sodium salts, aluminum (sodium cells often use aluminum current collectors on both electrodes, whereas lithium cells use copper on the anode), and hard carbon. These supply chains are not constraints at the moment – for example, sodium salt production and aluminum are plentiful – but quality control and consistent supply of battery-grade materials will have to ramp up. Companies like Albemarle and Umicore that supply lithium battery ingredients may start offering sodium battery materials as well. It will be important to ensure resource sustainability for whatever materials sodium-ion does rely on (be it vanadium, copper, etc., depending on the chemistry). Fortunately, many sodium-ion formulations are trending toward very common elements (like iron-manganese cathodes and carbon), which bodes well for long-term sustainability.

A key question is: where will sodium-ion find its sweet spot? Most experts foresee a complementary role rather than outright replacement of lithium-ion. Sodium-ion batteries will likely carve out market segments where their advantages shine – stationary storage, where weight doesn’t matter and low cost over many cycles does; entry-level and small EVs, where range is secondary to affordability; and certain consumer or industrial niches that need safety and long life (home storage, power tools, etc.). Lithium-ion batteries, especially advanced chemistries, will continue to dominate high-performance needs like long-range luxury EVs, aviation, and very weight-sensitive electronics. The good news is the battery market is so vast and rapidly growing that even capturing a niche could mean tens of gigawatt-hours of demand for sodium-ion. For instance, replacing just a fraction of the huge grid storage deployments expected worldwide with sodium-ion could amount to a multi-billion dollar market.

There are also external factors that could influence sodium-ion’s trajectory. If lithium prices spike again as they did in 2022, sodium-ion batteries instantly become more attractive economically (the Stanford STEER study noted that lithium price fluctuations were a big motivation for considering sodium in the first place news.stanford.edu). Conversely, if lithium remains cheap and plentiful, sodium will need to beat it on other merits (safety, supply security, etc.) to gain share. Policy and incentives can play a role too: governments could support sodium-ion projects as part of critical minerals strategy or to boost renewable storage deployment without import dependencies. Environmental regulations might also favor sodium-ion if its production proves easier on water and land (since lithium brine extraction has faced criticism physics.aps.org).

One challenge that is more psychological or market-based is simple inertia and conservatism. Industry players may be hesitant to switch to a new chemistry until it’s proven, and consumers may need education (for example, EV buyers might need reassurance that a “sodium battery” car is as reliable as a lithium one). Building confidence through real-world performance data is essential. The early deployments in China and elsewhere will serve as a crucial validation phase. If they perform well – delivering promised cycle life, safety, and cost benefits – it will build trust in the technology.

Looking ahead, the general outlook for sodium-ion batteries is highly optimistic. Virtually every battery analyst now includes sodium-ion in the conversation about future battery mixes. The timeline often cited is that the late 2020s will see a ramp-up, and by the 2030s sodium-ion could account for a significant chunk of global battery production (some estimates range from 10% to 20% or more of the market by 2035). Achieving this will require continued hard work on technical improvements and scaling, but the momentum is real. As Marcel Weil of KIT in Germany pointed out, among the many alternatives to lithium, “sodium is at the forefront” in terms of readiness and similarity to existing tech physics.aps.org. That head start is evident now as sodium-ion moves from lab to market faster than other contenders like magnesium or solid-state batteries.

In conclusion, sodium-ion batteries have rapidly evolved from a historical footnote to a frontline contender in the battery world. They offer an enticing proposition: use cheap, abundant salt to power our modern devices and vehicles, cutting costs and easing resource strains. They are not a silver bullet – energy storage will likely involve multiple chemistries – but they don’t need to be. By filling crucial needs (for safer, affordable, and sustainable batteries), sodium-ion technology can significantly bolster the clean energy transition. The next few years will tell us just how far this “salt battery” revolution can go. Given the strides made up to 2025, don’t be surprised if your next home battery or EV is riding the sodium wave. The age of sodium-ion batteries is dawning, and it just might be the jolt the industry needs for a more resilient and greener energy future.

Sources: The information and quotes in this report are drawn from a range of public sources, including expert interviews and analyses in Physics Magazine physics.aps.org, industry news from Reuters reuters.com and Energy-Storage.news energy-storage.news, as well as updates from specialized battery publications and company reports sodiumbatteryhub.com, physics.aps.org, natron.energy. These references (linked inline) provide further detail for interested readers. Sodium-ion battery technology is evolving quickly, so staying tuned to reliable news outlets and company announcements will provide the latest insights beyond August 2025.