Another sodium-ion EV battery breakthrough emerges in China with 4C fast charging in 11 mins
Why it matters: China's rapid sodium-ion battery advancements promise cheaper, safer EVs with faster charging and wider temperature resilience.
- BAIC Group's R&D unit announced a "significant breakthrough" with its sodium-ion battery prototype, featuring prismatic cells with over 170Wh/kg energy density and 4C ultra-fast charging in 11 minutes.
- BAIC's sodium-ion battery maintains over 92% energy retention at -20°C and performs across a wide range from -40°C to 60°C, with mass-production methods already established.
- CATL and Changan Automobile previously unveiled the world's first mass-produced EV with a sodium-ion battery, the Changan Nevo A06, showcasing CATL's "Naxtra" batteries with up to 175 Wh/kg energy density.
- CATL's chief tech officer, Gao Huan, emphasizes that sodium-ion technology brings greater resilience, wider operating temperature range, and more sustainable growth to electrification.
- Sodium-ion batteries are seen by CATL, BYD, and other Chinese manufacturers as a lower-cost, less price-sensitive alternative to lithium, with global shipments expected to reach over 1,000 GWh in the next four years.
China is rapidly advancing sodium-ion battery technology for EVs, with BAIC Group announcing a significant breakthrough in fast-charging capabilities and wide temperature range performance, closely following CATL's recent unveiling of the first mass-produced sodium-ion EV. Both companies are pushing for lower-cost, safer alternatives to lithium, with BAIC achieving 4C fast charging in 11 minutes and CATL targeting increased range for their Naxtra batteries.
