On February 5th, Changan Automobile and CATL jointly held the “Changan Automobile Tianshu Intelligent New Safety Achievements Release and Global Sodium Battery Strategy Launch” in Yakeshi, officially unveiling the global sodium battery strategy and showcasing the world’s first mass-produced sodium battery passenger car. CATL, as a partner, provides technical support and ecosystem layout for Changan. Several brands under Changan, including Avatr, DEEPAL, Qiyuan, and Gravity, will incorporate CATL’s new sodium batteries in the future.
The sodium battery technology of CATL was the highlight of the release, with outstanding performance in extreme environments. Passenger cars equipped with CATL’s new sodium batteries showed nearly 3 times the discharge power of conventional lithium iron phosphate models under -30℃ conditions, with a capacity retention rate exceeding 90% at -40℃, and stable discharge even at an extreme -50℃. Additionally, CATL’s sodium batteries possess safety features, remaining smoke-free and uninflammable without explosions even under extreme abuse such as multi-face squeezing, drill penetration, and complete sawing, continuing to discharge normally after sawing.
CATL’s support for Changan’s global sodium battery strategy extends beyond core technology to encompass entire ecosystem and lifecycle support. CATL’s new sodium batteries are compatible with multiple brands, balancing flexibility and performance upgrades. Additionally, CATL has an extensive national energy replenishment network, allowing users to quickly recharge anywhere through the integration of sodium new batteries and battery swap networks. By 2026, CATL plans to rapidly establish over 3,000 “chocolate” swap stations nationwide, deploying them in over 140 cities; in 8 provinces (cities) including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Heilongjiang-Jilin-Liaoning, a cumulative 600+ stations will be completed across 32 cities.
Sodium batteries have advantages in resource reserves and cost control. The reserves of sodium elements far exceed those of lithium, and the material costs for sodium-ion batteries will be 30%-40% lower compared to lithium-ion batteries. This makes sodium batteries significantly important in reducing the overall cost of electric vehicles, particularly in segments like A00 class cars, two-wheelers, and the energy storage market. The maturity of sodium batteries will effectively reduce overall costs.
Lithium batteries have unveiled the era of electrification, and the breakthroughs in sodium batteries will expand the applications of electric vehicles. With Ningde Times (CATL) continuously leading the advancement of sodium battery technology and the maturation of the sodium battery industry chain, the era of the “Sodium-Lithium Twin Stars” is destined to shine.
This article is a translation by AI of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.