On the 2025 “Sodium-Ion Battery Trade Chain and Requirements Growth Discussion board,” business specialists mentioned sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are progressing from demonstration tasks towards large-scale commercialisation, with the subsequent two to 3 years anticipated to find out their market foothold, based on Sina Finance.
Li Jinghong, an academician of the Chinese language Academy of Sciences and a professor at Tsinghua College, emphasised that sodium-ion batteries ought to concentrate on differentiated competitors moderately than direct substitution of lithium-ion batteries. He famous their distinct benefits, together with excessive energy output, robust low-temperature efficiency, excessive security, and comparatively low value. These options make them appropriate for functions resembling hybrid automobiles, uninterruptible energy provides (UPS), frequency regulation in power storage, and lead-acid battery alternative.
A number of members highlighted that the business has shifted from the “worth disruption” expectations that adopted the 2021 lithium worth spikes to a value-creation mannequin. The present focus is on increasing scale, decreasing prices, enhancing power density, and aligning merchandise with particular market wants. Specialists agreed that 2026 is more likely to mark the start of large-scale business functions, when enterprise worth turns into extra evident.
Functions and technical growth
Sodium-ion batteries are more and more seen as complementary to lithium-ion batteries moderately than replacements. Whereas their power density stays decrease, they provide larger ionic conductivity, sooner charging and discharging, and improved efficiency at low temperatures. These traits place them for high-power and high-current demand sectors resembling business automobiles, mining equipment, development tools, agricultural equipment, and hybrid programs that mix batteries with gasoline engines.
Li Jinghong beneficial vanadium sodium phosphate, mixed with arduous carbon anodes, as a key materials system for growing high-power sodium batteries resulting from its structural stability and excessive voltage platform.
CATL has additionally included sodium-ion batteries in its diversified know-how roadmap. In April, the corporate launched the world’s first large-scale, mass-produced sodium battery, which covers passenger automobile energy programs and heavy truck starter batteries. CATL later reported that its sodium batteries obtain an power density of 175 Wh/kg, enabling over 500 km of pure electrical vary, which probably addresses greater than 40 per cent of home passenger car demand.
Prices, requirements, and coverage assist
CLS reviews, Li Shujun, common supervisor of Beijing Zhongke Haina Expertise Co., mentioned that sodium-ion batteries have progressed from prototype validation to early commercialisation. He expects prices to say no considerably as power density improves and manufacturing scales up, probably halving inside two to 3 years. Present merchandise obtain an power density of roughly 165 Wh/kg, 10,000 cycles at 2°C, and steady operation from –40°C to 45°C. Mass manufacturing prices are estimated at 0.4–0.5 yuan/Wh, with additional reductions anticipated to 0.3 yuan/Wh, akin to right this moment’s lithium-iron phosphate batteries.
Standardisation efforts are additionally advancing. In response to He Penglin, deputy director of the China Electronics Standardisation Institute, two nationwide sodium-ion battery requirements have been issued, with 11 extra underneath growth, alongside 4 worldwide requirements led by China. Testing on merchandise from 44 enterprises confirmed robust low-temperature efficiency and security, reinforcing their potential as options to lead-acid batteries.
Authorities companies, together with the Ministry of Trade and Info Expertise and the Nationwide Power Administration, have designated sodium-ion batteries as a precedence path for brand new power storage, with insurance policies guiding high-quality growth.
Outlook
Trade representatives agreed that sodium-ion batteries are at a turning level. With clear technical routes, rising coverage assist, and outlined software eventualities, the know-how exhibits robust momentum. Specialists concluded that success will depend upon capitalising on their excessive energy, low-temperature tolerance, security, and value benefits whereas steadily enhancing power density.
The interval from now till 2026 is broadly considered an important window for sodium-ion batteries to determine a presence in area of interest markets and provoke scaled commercialisation.
