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High demand and slow supply of lithium is leaving an opening for a battery technology alternative – the sodium-ion battery.
Sodium-ion batteries are made from cheap and abundant sodium, can recharge faster than lithium batteries, and perform better in low temperatures. However, they also have lower energy density, shorter life cycle compared to mainstream battery alternatives, and are generally unsuitable as electric vehicle batteries. If expansion plans are any indication, the pros outweigh the cons.
Multiple battery makers are already gearing up for commercial production of sodium-ion batteries in 2023: from a Huawei Technologies-backed company that plans to open the first phase of its sodium-ion battery plant in Anhui province to a California-based manufacturer. With industrialization, this niche battery technology could:
- Reduce reliance on lithium batteries, and therefore
- Curb lithium demand
Find out why the scaling up of sodium-ion battery’s supply chain could pose a long-term threat to lithium batteries.