Table Salt is Powering the Next Generation of EVs

The following content is based on official updates from CATL’s newsroom.

Introduction

For years, lithium has been the “gold” of the battery world. But as electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular, lithium is becoming expensive and hard to find.

Enter CATL’s Sodium-ion battery, a breakthrough that trades rare lithium for something much more common: sodium (the main ingredient in table salt).

What makes this a big deal?

Imagine a battery that doesn’t just work in the cold but thrives in it.

While traditional batteries struggle when the temperature drops, CATL’s sodium-ion cells can retain about 90% of their capacity even at -20°C.

They also charge incredibly fast, reaching 80% in just 15 minutes.

By using Prussian blue materials for the cathode and a specially designed hard carbon for the anode, CATL has managed to make these “salty” batteries powerful enough for everyday cars. This isn’t just a science experiment; it’s a strategic move to ensure that electric travel stays affordable and reliable for everyone, regardless of the climate or the cost of raw materials.

Q&A: Solving the “Difficult” Problems

Q: Lithium is the industry standard. Why bother with Sodium?

A: Two words: Supply Chain. Lithium is geographically scarce, leading to geopolitical tensions and price spikes. Sodium is abundant everywhere (it’s in the ocean!). By switching to sodium, CATL is solving the Resource Scarcity problem, making energy storage sustainable and less dependent on a single mineral.

Q: Most batteries “die” in winter. How does this tech fix that?

A: Lithium-ion batteries suffer from sluggish ion transport in cold weather. CATL’s sodium-ion chemistry maintains high ion mobility at low temperatures. This solves the cold-weather performance gap, a major hurdle to EV adoption in Northern countries.

Q: Sodium ions are larger than lithium ions. Doesn’t that make the battery bulky?

A: Yes, that is the “Energy Density” challenge. Sodium ions are physically bigger, making it harder to pack them into small spaces. CATL solved this by creating a hybrid “AB” battery pack, mixing sodium cells and lithium cells in one unit. This uses the Battery Management System (BMS) to balance the strengths of both, solving the Volume Efficiency problem.

Q: Is it safe?

A: Highly. Sodium batteries are more thermally stable than many lithium-based chemistries. They also have the unique ability to be discharged to 0 Volts for transport, eliminating the fire risk during shipping, a massive win for Logistics Safety.