Northvolt sodium-ion battery breakthrough offers LFP-beating density, low cost, and improved safety for future compact EVs

While car brands like Toyota are investing heavily into large leaps in solid-state battery technology, which remain a long way out, smaller firms have been hard at work making existing battery tech cheaper and more practical. Case in point, Swedish company Northvolt recently announced a breakthrough in sodium-ion batteries that bring the technology up to par with its LFP counterparts.

Northvolt's sodium-ion battery claims an energy density of 160 Wh/kg, which matches the LFP batteries commonly found in less expensive EVs, even if it does fall somewhat short of the 200 Wh/kg of high-end NMC batteries in the likes of the upcoming Polestar 5.

The biggest benefit to Northvolt's Na-ion chemistry appears to be that it balances density and affordability, touting better cost-effectiveness than both NMC and the affordability champion, LFP. Northvolt also claims the Na-ion tech is safer at temperature than either NMC or LFP.

The key to Northvolt's successful production breakthrough is the Prussian-White cathode material the company uses for its Na-ion battery. It is free from many of the problematic minerals — including cobalt, lithium, graphite, and nickel — associated with modern battery technologies.

The battery anode, on the other hand, is made of hard carbon, which is basically fancy charcoal, and Northvolt claims this allows the batteries to be made locally with locally-sourced materials.

Northvolt says the breakthrough it achieved allows it to enter production with the improved Na-ion battery, and while it does eventually intend for the battery tech to make it to electric vehicles, it will start rolling its pouch cells out for stationary storage first. The company calls out the temperature-safety of the chemistry as being ideal for applications in warmer climates, like the Middle East and Africa.

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