- Changan Automobile has confirmed that its future passenger EV models will use new sodium-ion battery technology from Chinese battery giant CATL, bringing improved durability and respectable energy density to the table.
- The new battery chemistry will be a change from the lithium-ion batteries being used in the current lineup of Changan electric vehicles.
- Sodium-ion is quickly emerging as a new solution for EV batteries, partly down to their lower costs due to less reliance on scarce materials such as lithium and nickel.
Changan plans to switch from lithium-ion to sodium-ion
The first vehicle from Changan to adopt CATL’s Naxtra sodium-ion battery is expected to reach the market later this year, making it the first mass-production passenger car to adopt sodium-ion batteries. CATL’s batteries in particular have reached an impressive energy density of 175 Wh/kg, setting the benchmark for other mass produced sodium-ion batteries to follow.
Changan’s current lineup of vehicles use lithium-derived battery types, but sodium-ion batteries are likely to play a key part of an EV future, existing alongside already established battery technologies such as LFP, NMC, and emerging solid state batteries. One of the key benefits of sodium-ion batteries are their affordability, thanks in part due to the abundance of raw materials, such as sodium, required in production, compared to the more expensive and constrained-in-supply lithium.
These batteries are also touted to carry other benefits too, namely improved resistance to extremes in temperature. Changan’s own testing found that these batteries continued to perform well even in temperatures as low as –40°C. Therefore, for countries with cold climates, these batteries could also translate to much improved range, compared to conventional EV batteries which typically take a hit in ultra-low temperatures.
Tan Benhong, Chief Brand Officer at Changan, commented:
“Changan will continue to introduce sodium-ion battery technology across multiple brands in the near future. From extreme environments to everyday driving, every innovation we pursue is designed with one goal in mind: delivering safe, reliable and practical mobility that supports our customers in their day-to-day journeys.”
