The rollout of sodium-ion batteries is gaining momentum, particularly in energy storage and logistics, driving demand for large-scale production. But how well is China positioned in terms of sodium-ion battery manufacturing? And what kind of market potential does the technology hold?
Source: CCTV Finance
The rollout of sodium-ion batteries is gaining momentum, particularly in energy storage and logistics, driving demand for large-scale production. But how well is China positioned in terms of sodium-ion battery manufacturing? And what kind of market potential does the technology hold?
Currently, sodium-ion batteries remain more expensive than their lithium-ion counterparts. Industry data shows that lithium-ion energy storage cells cost around ¥0.32 per watt-hour, while sodium-ion cells are priced at over ¥0.50 per watt-hour. However, as production ramps up and more applications emerge, this price gap is expected to narrow.
China’s sodium-ion battery production capacity—both operational and under construction—is estimated at around 10 GWh and is expanding rapidly. Looking ahead, if sodium-ion batteries achieve a 10% adoption rate in the heavy-duty electric truck sector by 2030, the market could be worth ¥20 billion.
One of the biggest advantages of sodium-ion batteries is resource availability. Lithium is relatively scarce, making up just 0.006% of the Earth's crust. Its price has been highly volatile, currently around ¥80,000 per ton after peaking near ¥600,000 per ton. Sodium, on the other hand, is far more abundant, accounting for 2.3% of the Earth's crust and widely found in seawater and rock salt. Sodium carbonate, a key raw material, costs just ¥3,000 per ton, making it significantly more stable in price.
According to Hu Yongsheng, director of the Clean Energy Laboratory at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, large-scale sodium-ion battery production could act as a stabilizing force in the lithium battery market. "Once sodium-ion batteries reach mass production, they will provide a price benchmark, preventing lithium battery costs from experiencing extreme fluctuations as in the past," he explained. With technological advancements and growing production capacity, sodium-ion batteries are poised to play a larger role in the energy storage sector—both as a complement to lithium-ion batteries and as a potential counterbalance to price volatility in the industry.
Reproduced article do not represent the position of New Energy Era.