Battery manufacturer CATL is set to begin equipping electric vehicles with sodium-ion batteries by the middle of the year, marking a major leap forward for alternative power technology.
The world's largest battery producer revealed that GAC Aion will debut the first consumer EV featuring the technology, per Electrek. The announcement arrived not long after CATL introduced commercial van batteries using the same chemistry earlier in January.
Conventional lithium-based power cells have faced serious challenges in freezing conditions, leading to capacity losses and requiring costly heating infrastructure.
Sodium chemistry aims to address these issues while relying on materials that are much less expensive and far more abundant.
Chief Technology Officer Gao Huan shared the production schedule with China Securities Journal, capping years of research that began when CATL first showcased sodium battery concepts in the summer of 2021.
Real-world testing in delivery trucks and commercial vans confirmed remarkable cold-tolerance: the battery systems accepted charges at temperatures as low as -30C (-22F), maintaining 90% of their normal energy storage at -40C (-40F).
This development could be a game-changer for drivers in cold regions, whose range shrinks and charging time increases during frigid months. Municipal and delivery fleets could operate year-round without interruption, reducing capital costs and ongoing energy consumption.
Moreover, sodium is abundant and inexpensive compared to lithium, which could lower electric vehicle prices and expand electric mobility to more people worldwide.
Currently, sodium cells pack less power per unit of weight than their lithium counterparts, though CATL is targeting equivalence with standard lithium-ion phosphate technology by 2029.
Last November, CATL and GAC Group released the Aion UT Super EV, featuring CATL's rapid battery-exchange system that swaps in under two minutes.
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$200 or more 💰 Drivers can anticipate the first sodium-powered passenger vehicles appearing sometime this summer, with availability expanding as production volumes increase throughout the second half of 2026.
Commenters were excited by the news.
"Another proof that EV transportation is really just at the beginning of the innovation curve, whereas ICE cars offer little improvement," one wrote. "We're at the inflection point right now, but in five years … EV advantages … will be complete and undeniable."
A Redditor commented on the news, writing: "The Sodium Battery tech is speeding along - I expected it to be fast, but not this fast."
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