Battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) (HKG: 3750) (SHE: 300750) plans to begin equipping electric vehicles with sodium-ion batteries by mid-year, marking a significant shift in EV power technology.
The world’s largest battery maker said Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd (OTCMKTS: GNZUF) (FRA: 02G) brand GAC Aion will launch the first consumer EV using the chemistry, according to Electrek.
The rollout follows CATL’s January debut of sodium-ion batteries in commercial vans, which provided early real-world validation. Lithium-ion batteries, however, struggle in extreme cold, losing capacity and requiring energy-intensive heating systems.
Sodium-ion technology aims to solve those problems while relying on cheaper and more abundant raw materials. CATL Chief Technology Officer Gao Huan told China Securities Journal that passenger-vehicle production will start this year, concluding research that began in 2021.
That research accelerated after CATL publicly demonstrated sodium-ion concepts during the summer of that year. Further testing in delivery trucks confirmed strong cold-weather performance across northern Chinese routes.
The batteries accepted charges at temperatures down to minus 30 Celsius and retained about 90 per cent capacity at minus 40. Consequently, EVs using sodium chemistry could maintain reliable winter range without complex thermal systems.
Drivers in colder regions often experience reduced range and slower charging during winter months. Sodium-powered vehicles could mitigate those issues and reduce ownership costs at the same time.
Additionally, municipal fleets and delivery operators could run vehicles year-round without seasonal downtime. That operational reliability may lower fleet capital expenses and ongoing energy consumption.
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System allows drivers to exchange depleted packs
Sodium also offers a major supply advantage compared with lithium, which faces tighter global sourcing constraints. As a result, battery costs could fall, potentially making EVs more affordable worldwide.
However, sodium-ion batteries currently store less energy per kilogram than lithium-based cells. CATL said it aims to match lithium-iron-phosphate performance levels by 2029.
Meanwhile, the company continues to pair battery innovation with rapid charging and swapping systems. Last November, CATL and GAC introduced the Aion UT Super EV with a battery-swap process lasting under two minutes.
That system allows drivers to exchange depleted packs rather than wait for charging. Consequently, sodium-ion batteries could integrate smoothly into existing swap-based infrastructure.
Passenger vehicles using sodium cells are expected to appear this summer. Availability should expand through the second half of 2026 as production scales.
Industry observers described the move as further evidence that electric vehicles remain early in their innovation cycle. They argued internal combustion engines now offer limited room for meaningful technological gains.
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