The world's largest electric vehicle battery maker has hit a remarkable benchmark.
China-based Contemporary Amperex Technologies, or CATL, is mass-producing sodium-ion batteries, bringing to fruition a technology that has the potential to replace common lithium-ion chemistry, according to a news release from the company.
"With sodium's inherent safety and abundant reserves, it efficiently reduces dependence on lithium resources and strengthens the foundation of new energy technologies, while promoting energy utilization from 'single resource dependence' to 'energy freedom,'" CATL said in the statement.
Experts worldwide are studying sodium-based batteries for those reasons and others. A lower energy density — or the amount of power the pack can store per pound — compared to lithium has been a holdup, CleanTechnica reported.
CATL's Naxtra Battery, made for passenger EVs with a version for heavy-duty start-stop use, seems to solve the problem. The passenger pack can provide over 310 miles of range. That's superior to the median for model-year 2024 EVs, which was reported at 283 miles by the U.S. Energy Department. Those rides are mostly all powered by lithium-ion cells.
The packs can also safely operate between minus 40 degrees and 178 degrees Fahrenheit while maintaining 90% of "usable power" at the coldest mark. It can function for more than 10,000 cycles, all per CATL. New Atlas added that it equates to 3.6 million miles driving before significant capacity loss.
On the heavy-duty side, Naxtra's 24-volt product is meant to replace lead-acid packs in dirty combustion vehicles, with an eight-year life cycle. There's also a 61% reduction in costs during that time compared to traditional types.
It's built to handle frequent restarts for rigs with engines that stop when idling. It's a fuel-saving trick that's been in use for more than a decade. The tech made headlines in the April 2011 issue of Car and Driver, for reference. The Naxtra battery is said to be able to fire a start after being idle for a year, all per CATL.
"Compared to lead-acid batteries, it is more efficient, eco-friendly, and economical, driving commercial vehicles into a lead-free era where vehicle and battery age as one," per the statement.
While that is impressive, fully electric and cleaner haulers are already on the road, including from Tesla. A 24-hour EV rig from Danfoss is being developed in Denmark, among other projects.
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Cost 💰 Naxtra's passenger version ideally parks gas burners, preventing planet-warming tailpipe exhaust linked by medical experts to lung, heart, and other health risks, including dementia. Diesel exhaust is "thought to be a likely human carcinogen," according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Sodium chemistry is coming in all sizes, with a huge stationary storage unit recently going online in China. It can store enough renewable energy to power 12,000 homes a day.
Other breakthroughs in various stages of development include lithium iron phosphate and even cannabis cars. As you might guess, the chemistry for the latter pack is unique.
The experts are trying to reduce the tens of millions of tons of deposits that Sustainability by Numbers reported will need to be mined and processed to power clean energy goals by 2040. While that is a lot, it's nowhere near the 16.5 billion tons of fossil fuels mined annually, per the findings.
Sodium's abundance and easier extraction could limit the impact of battery-making even more.
However, lithium-ion batteries remain reliable and safe, with rides owned by more people than ever. And now is a great time to buy one stateside, as tax credits to offset the cost are still available. That's in addition to the loads of cash you can bank annually by eliminating gas and/or maintenance expenses.
Adding a home solar panel system can increase your savings. The abundant sunrays can provide juice for your EV, and they are applicable for tax breaks, as well. EnergySage offers free online support to help you navigate the process and even find an installer.
For CATL's part, company experts envision a salty future for EVs.
"The performance breakthrough of sodium-ion batteries is a key development in the full scenario application of batteries," the CATL statement said.
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