Chinese EV Maker Unveils World's First Sodium-Ion Battery Powered Electric Vehicle

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Chinese Electric Vehicle brand JAC Auto has unveiled the world's first-ever EV to be powered by a sodium-ion battery. The sodium-ion battery, which is considered to be a cheaper alternative to lithium ion batteries was developed by Beijing-based startup Hina Battery Technologies, reports the South China Morning Post. The use of Sodium-ion battery is expected to reduce the cost of the Electric Vehicles by at least 10 per cent, increasing the viability of EVs as compared to petrol, diesel or CNG vehicles.  

As per the industry experts, Sodium-ion batteries are made using cheaper raw materials, reducing the cost of the battery, and in turn, reducing the cost of the electric vehicle itself. Not only this, Sodium ion battery offers EV makers an alternative to existing technologies like the lithium-ion battery, which is expensive and made of rare materials. Apart from Lithium, Cobalt is also rare and expensive to procure.

As for the Chinese electric vehicle from JAC, the EV is fitted with a 25 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery that can go as far as 250 kms on a single charge, IANS reports. "A surge in lithium carbonate prices last year made many battery manufacturers and downstream users face ever-rising cost pressures," said battery maker Hina.

"Therefore, sodium-ion batteries offering better cost-performance, high safety as well as excellent cycle performance, have been widely expected as the most promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries." Sodium-ion batteries have lower density than their lithium-ion counterparts. These batteries have advantages such as low-temperature performance and charging speed.

Chinese electric vehicle brands are slowly making a mark on the global level, outnumbering many established automakers. Chinese electric carmaker BYD is expanding operations overseas, setting a unit sales target for 2023 to overtake Elon Musk-run Tesla. Operating in more than 40 nations, BYD plans to sell nearly two million EVs this year, including in Japan and countries in Southeast Asia and Europe, according to a Nikkei Asia report.

According to Juniper Research, the total number of plug-in vehicles will surpass 137 million globally by 2027, up from 49 million in 2023.