Sodium-ion batteries have not got enough attention due to the dominance of Lithium-ion batteries in the market. However, a Chinese company named Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL) is looking into the possibility of introducing sodium-ion batteries in the market on a large scale.
Lithium-ion batteries are being used by companies all around the world but their production is very costly. Carmakers now are finding it difficult to cut down their costs and make their electric vehicles cheaper. This is becoming a monumental problem for both consumers as well as producers as innovation is coming in and making electric vehicles even more expensive.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has said it would drive the development, standardization and commercialization of this type of power-pack, providing a cheaper, faster-charging and safe alternative to the current battery on offer, the Economic Times reported.
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Until the CATL decided to bring back Sodium as a component in the battery system, prices of battery usage vehicles remained extensively high. while lithium-ion batteries have been one of the greatest inventions in power storage, they are increasingly coming up against issues including the cost and availability of materials, and safety.
The sodium-ion battery will not bring any upgrade to the existing lithium-ion one. Neither would it add any extra miles. However, it will be cheap, with power packs costing 30%-50% less than the current existing lithium-ion battery ones.
Sodium has a lower energy density than lithium which means that they run better at cooler temperatures and have a greater life span, making them a better long-term investment. CATL’s latest product is expected to have an energy density of 160 Watt-hour per kilogram and will take 15 minutes to reach 80% of its charge.
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The development of sodium-ion batteries is not a new concept as scientists had been researching sodium as an element in the entire battery function. But its limelight was quickly taken by another substance called lithium, which was newer and more promising. Soon, Lithium-ion batteries started to get widespread use and Sodium-ion batteries were put aside for the time being.
A major obstacle that comes in between mass-producing new sodium-ion battery packs is that it requires a separate assembly line than the current lithium-ion one. However, cheaper material costs will impact the overall cost of the battery in a positive way.
