China's battery has triggered another DeepSeek moment.
Experts didn't believe salt batteries would be viable until 2035.
CATL is mass-producing its 1st sodium battery, same capacity and size as lithium, at 1/10th the cost, lasts 25 years, runs fine at -30°C, and highly safe.
China's CATL has already been mass-producing sodium-ion batteries for heavy trucks since June 2025. It will start mass production for EVs in December 2025.
If CATL can truly mass-produce sodium-ion at lithium parity weight with 1/10th cost, the entire lithium mining boom loses ground. Chile, Australia, and African lithium juniors would face a brutal reset in valuations.
Sodium’s 25-year life and cold tolerance makes it perfect for grid storage, not just EVs. This undercuts the trillion-dollar lithium moat and shifts bargaining power from miners to cell manufacturers almost overnight.
Everyone assumed sodium commercialization was a 2035 story. CATL pulling it to 2025 is the same playbook as DeepSeek, China compressing timelines by a decade.
China’s EV battery giant reveals 310-mile sodium battery to rival lithium dominance
The new sodium-ion batteries will fall under CATL’s new brand Naxtra. Updated: Apr 22, 2025 07:45 AM EST
The electric vehicle industry is on the cusp of a major advancement, thanks to Chinese battery giant, Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL).
The world’s leading EV battery producer has just unveiled a new sodium-ion battery to reshape the industry.
Reportedly, CATL is gearing up to roll out its sodium-ion batteries, with production slated to begin in June. The new sodium-ion batteries will fall under CATL’s new brand Naxtra.
Company’s chief marketing officer, Luo Jian, stated at a press conference in Shanghai on Monday that the company will achieve mass production by the end of the year.
CATL is a key power source for major automotive players such as Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and BMW. Reuters reported that CATL batteries are found in over 18.32 million cars that are currently on the roads in more than 66 countries. Safe sodium-ion batteries
Long seen as a promising alternative to the dominant lithium-ion technology, sodium-ion offers the potential for lower costs and enhanced safety.
Lithium-ion batteries can be hazardous due to their fire risk when damaged. In comparison, sodium-ion batteries offer a more stable and secure way to store energy.
As per AFP, the first Naxtra units will be smaller and targeted as starter batteries for heavy-duty vehicles. Following this initial phase, the company plans to commence production of larger sodium-ion batteries by December of this year, intended for use in both fully electric and hybrid passenger cars.
The Naxtra battery line is expected to provide electric cars with a 500-kilometer (310-mile) driving range on a single charge.
....my warnings on the negative impact of sodium-ion batteries threatening lithium is becoming reality sooner than most expected, due to the swift technological advancement of CATL.
....as EV growth is centred almost skewed disproportionately in China, increasing future displacement of lithium batteries would serve two advantages to Chinese made EVs vis-a-vis US/European rivals : (1) they will reduce the cost of vehicles even more widening the gap in cost advantages (2) the sodium-ion battery technology may be reserved entirely for Chinese made EVs only, excluding Tesla.
