From salt to power: How sodium is reshaping the battery landscape

The manufacturing sector is on the brink of a revolution, as a new king may soon ascend the battery industry throne. A change is coming and it’s powered by the abundance of a simple element: sodium. This humble yet ubiquitous ingredient could be the key to unlocking the next generation of cheaper batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), shaking lithium's long-held reign.

Lithium has long dominated the battery market, powering everything from your pocket-sized smartphones to expansive electrical grid storage systems. Yet, with rising concerns about the sustainability of the battery supply chain, the quest is on to find alternatives to the most expensive and least readily available ingredients. Enter sodium, the potential game-changer.

In recent months, leading battery manufacturers and automakers in China have unveiled ambitious ventures into sodium-ion battery technology, a promising alternative that could significantly drive down costs in the EV and stationary storage sectors.

JAC Motors, a Chinese automaker, recently showcased the world's first vehicle equipped with sodium-ion batteries, boasting a range of up to 250 kilometres. Shortly after, CATL, China's largest EV battery maker, announced its own sodium-ion battery development.

While this new wave of announcements is undoubtedly exciting, details surrounding production timelines and performance metrics remain tightly guarded secrets. Understandably so, as these major players are not known to reveal their hand early. Yet, it does ignite curiosity around the viability of sodium-ion batteries for real-world applications.

Sodium-based batteries, though not a new concept, have been held back by their technical limitations. Traditionally, sodium-ion batteries have exhibited quick wear and lower energy density than lithium counterparts. This means that to store an equivalent amount of energy, a sodium-based battery would need to be larger and heavier, impacting the range of EVs.

However, where lithium falters, sodium finds opportunity. The increasingly soaring demand and consequently skyrocketing prices of lithium are starting to strain the current production and supply chain. Despite the vast lithium reserves within Earth's crust, the infrastructure required to extract and process it for battery use is challenging and time-consuming to establish. This scenario has effectively opened the door for sodium-ion technology to step in.

Unlike lithium, sodium can be derived from one of the most abundant materials on Earth – salt. The widespread availability and affordability of this raw material lend potential for sodium-ion batteries to be significantly cheaper than their lithium-ion counterparts, provided there is a substantial increase in production.

While market conditions may have created an opportunity for sodium-ion batteries, they could also pose challenges. If lithium prices start to decline, the cost advantage of sodium-ion batteries could evaporate. Besides, the task of developing and mass-producing new battery technologies is daunting enough without the added pressure of competing against the continually evolving and potentially cheaper lithium-ion batteries.

Predictions suggest sodium-ion batteries could start powering EVs in China as early as this year. However, it's important to recognize that they are unlikely to completely replace lithium. Instead, we can expect diversification within the battery market, with more options being developed to cater to different needs.

It's time for leaders in the manufacturing sector to take note of this shift and prepare for the future. As sodium-ion technology finds its niche in the market, it could herald a new era in the battery industry.

The world is evolving, and sodium ion might finally find its place at the forefront.