CATL says sodium batteries are mainstream-ready, signs 60 GWh deal

7 hours ago

CATL signed a 60 GWh sodium-ion battery deal with HyperStrong, the largest sodium-ion battery order ever.
The agreement demonstrates CATL's mass production capabilities for sodium-ion batteries, overcoming challenges in energy density and manufacturing.
Sodium-ion batteries use abundant, cheaper sodium instead of lithium, making them ideal for cost-sensitive applications like grid-scale energy storage.
CATL's sodium-ion cells offer 160 Wh/kg density, 97% efficiency, over 15,000 cycles, and operate from -40°C to 70°C, with compatibility to existing lithium-ion infrastructure.
CATL plans sodium-ion EV mass production by end of 2026, aiming for LFP-level energy density to enable 600 km range.
BYD also develops sodium-ion technology, but CATL leads in commercial-scale commitments with this deal.
The global sodium-ion battery market is projected to reach $1.08 billion in 2026, with CATL positioned to dominate.
The deal is seen as a potential 'DeepSeek moment' for energy storage, potentially reducing costs and improving efficiency industry-wide.
Sodium-ion batteries could reshape grid-scale storage economics, aiding the renewable energy transition by providing cheap, long-lasting storage.

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