CATL sodium-ion battery brings 300-mile range and first mass electric vehicle certification

CATL has commercialized the first sodium-ion battery for electric cars that allows them to hit the range of current mass market EVs with LFP cells.

The second sodium-ion battery generation of CATL can propel electric vehicles for over 300 miles on a charge, as its 175 Wh/kg energy density closes in on that of current lithium batteries in popular EVs like the Model Y or Model 3, but at lower costs.

So much so that Bluetti, which makes popular mobile stations with LFP batteries like the AC180 available on Amazon, has crafted the first such power station with sodium-ion batteries that will be available to purchase in October.

High energy density is not the only virtue of CATL's Naxtra sodium-ion battery line, too, as it can also operate in a much wider temperature range without losing capacity in freezing temps. Thanks to the lack of reactive metals in its composition, and CATL's manufacturing prowess, the sodium-ion battery of the world's biggest cell maker has become the first to grab a coveted EV safety certification under China's stringent new GB 38031-2025 national standard.

This opens the door for using it in a variety of electric vehicles, and it is particularly suited for those that will operate in cold climates. According to CATL, the Naxtra sodium-ion battery line has so many advantages in terms of costs, safety, and climate-friendly production, that it has the potential to be in 40% of Chinese electric vehicles going forward.

The sodium-ion battery is currently testing with customers, and CATL will begin mass production next year after it gets the first orders. Mum's the word on which manufacturers will be the first to release mass market electric cars with its sodium-ion battery, but given that CATL counts nearly all major EV makers among its clients, this bodes well for the technology's development and proliferation.

CATL is also making the Naxtra sodium-ion battery compatible with its 20/25 battery pack standardization concept aimed at swap stations. It is building a network of those, both alone and with partners like NIO whose electric cars come with swappable batteries.

If CATL's new sodium-ion battery generation makes it to battery swap stations, the sheer convenience of having a freshly charged pack installed in a matter of minutes would contribute to the popularization of the sodium-ion battery chemistry in the industry.