CATL and CHANGAN Automobile have partnered to unveil what it describes as the first mass-production passenger electric vehicle (EV) equipped with a sodium-ion battery. The vehicle is expected to reach the market in mid-2026.
The launch marks a significant milestone for sodium-ion chemistry in EV platforms. CATL’s Naxtra sodium-ion battery is designed to complement lithium-ion systems within a dual-chemistry strategy, offering an alternative for specific performance and cost requirements.
The battery is reported to achieve up to 175-Wh/kg energy density and support more than 400 km of range in pure battery-electric configurations. Future variants are projected to reach 500 to 600 km depending on vehicle integration.
A key engineering differentiator is cold-weather performance. The battery reportedly delivers substantially higher discharge power than comparable LFP systems at –30° C, maintains over 90% capacity retention at –40° C, and remains operational at temperatures as low as –50° C. These characteristics could reduce thermal management demands in extreme climates.
Safety testing described by the companies includes crushing and mechanical damage scenarios in which the battery reportedly remained free of smoke or fire while continuing to deliver power.
Sodium-ion chemistry relies on more abundant raw materials than lithium-based systems, which may help diversify battery supply chains and reduce exposure to lithium price volatility. If validated at scale, the chemistry could provide EV manufacturers with an additional option to balance cost, safety, cold-weather performance, and supply resilience.
CATL began sodium-ion research in 2016, and the introduction of a production-intent vehicle represents a key step in determining whether the technology can be commercialized alongside existing lithium-ion platforms.
Filed Under: Batteries, Technology News