CATL Makes Massive Announcement on Sodium Batteries for 2026

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Sodium-ion battery improvement has been a significant story in 2025, as Chris Arcus has been particularly keen to focus on and clarify. In 2026, I believe it may very well be the largest battery subject. Battery big CATL, the most important battery producer on the planet, is leaning into the subject and made a notable assertion this week on what we are able to anticipate within the new yr. Nonetheless, on the similar time, it’s eager to level out that the way forward for the battery business is a mix of lithium and sodium batteries.

The important thing determine CATL talked about this week is that its sodium-ion batteries, which have gotten as much as 175 Wh/kg of vitality density, may very well be utilized in regular passenger electrical automobiles offering 500 km (311 miles) of vary in 2026. That’s the present candy spot of what’s anticipated in a brand new electrical automotive. Naturally, this announcement doesn’t point out worth, however even when the corporate is referring to extra premium vehicles that may garner larger gross margin and eat early improvement prices, that is nonetheless indication that the mass-market goal is on the horizon.

This announcement got here at a provider convention in Ningde, Fujian, China, yesterday in keeping with Chinese language media shops.

CATL intends to promote sodium-ion batteries into all types of business segments — passenger EVs, industrial EVs, and stationary vitality storage techniques. Included in which might be batteries utilized in battery swapping techniques, which is an space Chris Arcus has additionally targeted on.

Naturally, CATL doesn’t need to or anticipate to make its many lithium-ion battery manufacturing traces and market choices out of date, and definitely no time quickly! Completely different chemistries include completely different advantages, particularly at this stage of improvement. Subsequently, CATL is pitching a “dual-star” market through which “sodium and lithium batteries shine brightly collectively.”

CATL’s new Naxtra sodium-ion division launched passenger EV and industrial EV merchandise in 2025, with the core focus when it comes to advantages over lithium-ion batteries being operation in excessive temperatures (excessive warmth in addition to excessive chilly). Long run, although, sodium-ion batteries are anticipated to deliver basic value financial savings in addition to greener credentials (decrease carbon emissions). Sodium-based batteries are additionally anticipated to offer security advantages over lithium-based batteries.

We’ll see what 2026 has in retailer for sodium-ion batteries, from CATL and others, however it’s thrilling to lastly be transitioning from lab/research-focused tales about sodium-ion batteries (which we’ve been overlaying for greater than a decade) to market-focused tales about them, particularly when the information is coming from international battery chief CATL. I believe we are able to rely on extra tales from Chris on this quickly, in addition to from different writers on the CleanTechnica staff. Be happy to share any cool tales you notice on the rising battery know-how with the CleanTechnica author staff as effectively.