Alternative technology presents a chance to address major challenges confronted by electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturers. If proven successful, it has the potential to surpass lithium in terms of popularity.
Sodium-ion batteries use a different cathode material than the lithium carbonate-based cells that are dominant today, with iron and manganese replacing the lithium ions. This significantly reduces the cost of the battery, which is a crucial factor in electric vehicle affordability. It also makes the battery more environmentally friendly, as the cathode is not based on the rare and finite element cobalt. This, in turn, lowers the battery’s impact on mineral and climate resources.
In addition to its cheaper price, the sodium-ion battery can also be built without the need for premium input materials such as lithium carbonate and cobalt, making it less vulnerable to supply chain issues. Furthermore, it does not contain any ‘conflict minerals’ or minerals of concern,’ further improving its sustainability profile.
As a result, the battery could prove attractive to EV manufacturers, who are looking for ways to drive down the cost of their products. This is already being recognized, with Chinese companies CATL and BYD announcing that they are to build sodium-ion plants. And two other Chinese manufacturers, JAC and HiNa, have announced plans to build a sodium-powered vehicle.
But sodium batteries are still in their infancy compared to lithium-ion. They have a lower energy density, which is unusual for all EV applications. However, they have the potential to play a vital role in smaller vehicles and for stationary storage applications such as solar power. The latter requires high numbers of charge and discharge cycles, which sodium batteries can meet.
Research into sodium batteries has been going on for decades, but it is only beginning to attract genuine interest from the industry. The interest in the new technology is reflected by the number of companies announcing new projects, including Swedish company Northvolt and US-based startup Acculon.
However, just like any emerging technology, sodium-ion must prove its worth in practice before it can compete with lithium commercially. It must demonstrate that it can deliver safety, energy density, and cycle life before it gains the traction needed to make inroads into EV production.
How long that will take needs to be clarified, but if the right conditions are in place, sodium-ion batteries can potentially make a big splash, as they could help bring affordable electric cars within reach for more people. That would be a significant step forward.