Sodium batteries for EVs arrive in China with 11-minute charging and mass production plans

China advances in sodium batteries for EVs, with density above 170 Wh/kg, 11-minute charging, and expectations for mass production

The pace of innovation in electric vehicle batteries in China has gained new momentum with the advancement of sodium batteries, promising lower cost and competitive performance.

BAIC Group announced the first prototype of a sodium battery within the Aurora line, which already includes lithium and solid-state options. The prismatic cells achieve >170 Wh/kg density, positioning them among the best in the segment.

With ultra-fast 4C charging, it is possible to fully recharge the battery in about 11 minutes. The technology also demonstrates good performance across a temperature range between -40°C and 60°C.

BAIC reported that the sodium battery maintained more than 92% of its remaining energy at -20°C, and local sources indicate that samples have already been developed along with a mass production method for prismatic batteries.

This news joins CATL's announcement of sodium batteries for the Changan Nevo A06 just over a month ago. CATL offers the Naxtra line with density up to 175 Wh/kg, rivaling some LFPs.

Planned for use in passenger cars, a 45 kWh sodium pack can provide up to 400 km of range under CLTC, with expectations that this number will advance to about 500–600 km in the near future.

The adoption of sodium is seen as a lower-cost alternative to lithium, which motivates investments from CATL, BYD, and others in the sector to mitigate rising lithium prices.

In market terms, global shipments of sodium batteries totaled 9 GWh last year, a 150% increase compared to 2024. This volume is forecast to exceed 1,000 GWh in the next four years.

Perspective: Sodium technology may increase supply resilience and reduce EV costs in the coming years.

Leave in the comments: do you believe sodium batteries can compete with current technologies in terms of cost and performance in the coming years?