CATL $3750 (+3,12 %) expects to start using sodium-ion batteries in passenger cars in the next quarter, thereby accelerating the large-scale introduction of this new type of battery.
The use of sodium-ion batteries is to be expanded across the board in the second quarter.
The first model with such batteries will come from GAC Aion, said CATL's head of technology Gao Huan in an interview with the local newspaper China Securities Journal.
With the expansion of production capacity, sodium-ion batteries will gradually be used for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, energy storage and even construction machinery, Gao said, adding that challenges such as cost still need to be solved.
On Thursday, the Chinese battery maker unveiled its Tectrans II series of traction batteries for light commercial vehicles, including a 45kWh sodium-ion battery - the first battery of its kind for light commercial vehicles.
The battery can be connected and charged even in extremely cold temperatures of down to -30 °C. According to CATL, the battery retains 90 % of its usable capacity at -40 °C.
CATL did not give a timetable for the deployment of the sodium-ion battery at the event. However, according to the China Securities Journal, the battery will go into series production in July this year, with versions for both rechargeable vehicles and battery swap models available.
According to the report, the sodium-ion battery has completed winter testing in light trucks and medium-sized vans manufactured by Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC).
Sodium batteries are characterized by high discharge performance, with the temperature rise not exceeding 5°C at a charging speed of 5C, Gao said. As a result, no additional cooling of the battery system is required, enabling an optimized thermal management system.
He pointed out that the transition of sodium batteries from laboratory to mass production represents progress in overcoming the challenges associated with low temperature performance.
CATL is aiming for sodium batteries to achieve an energy density comparable to current lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries within the next three years, while further reducing costs.
The company is currently developing its third-generation sodium battery, Gao said.
CATL unveiled its first-generation sodium-ion battery in July 2021 amid rising lithium carbonate prices, drawing public attention to this new type of battery.
In April 2025, CATL launched its sodium-ion battery brand Naxtra at its Tech Day event and began exploring alternatives to lithium batteries under this new brand.
Naxtra batteries for passenger cars achieve an energy density of up to 175 Wh/kg, making them the world leader among sodium-ion batteries and on a par with LFP batteries, CATL said at the time.
In addition to CATL, Chinese start-ups such as Hina Battery are also developing sodium-ion batteries.