www.electrive.com/2023/04/21/catl-and...

"Both CATL and BYD intend to use sodium-ion batteries in series-produced EVs before the end of this year. However, this will initially be a hybrid of sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries.

Citing insiders, the portal 36kr says CATL plans to introduce the new batteries in the first model of the Chery’s new energy vehicle (NEV) brand iCar, which will launch in the fourth quarter of this year. The technology could later also be used in other Chery models. CATL recently confirmed that Chery would be its launch customer for its sodium-ion batteries without giving further details.

Chery introduced the iCar brand in the run-up to the Auto Shanghai with two concept cars. The iCar GT is an electric sports car, while the iCar 03 is a 4.2-metre-long angular compact SUV. The vehicle exhibited in Shanghai is still a prototype with darkened windows, so there are no details about the interior design yet. Since sodium-ion batteries are much cheaper but have a lower energy density, it is more likely that the iCar 03 will be the first model to come with a mixed battery pack of Li-ion and Na-ion cells, and not the sports car."

medium.com/predict/catls-new-battery-...

"Many companies, including Tesla, are trying to develop lithium-ion batteries that mitigate these weaknesses. But sodium-ion is an alternative battery chemistry that seems to solve all of these issues.

Sodium-ion batteries use much more widely available materials that are easier to mine and refine, making them significantly cheaper. But it isn’t just cost that makes sodium-ion batteries amazing. They are also much safer, last far longer, charge way quicker, and have a miniscule environmental impact. Annoyingly, sodium-ion batteries also have a very low energy density, making it impossible to build practical EVs with them — at least until recently.

CATL has solved sodium-ion batteries’ energy density problem. Last year, they unveiled their first-generation sodium-ion battery, and its specifications are incredible.

It has an energy density of 160 Wh/kg, and CATL has a patent to raise this to 200 Wh/kg. This means they are only slightly heavier than lithium-ion batteries, which sit at about 220 Wh/kg, making a sodium-ion-powered EV possible. The battery itself can be charged from 0% to 80% capacity in only 15 minutes. Its life cycle is rated for over 3,000 charge cycles, equivalent to driving a million miles. It is super cheap at only $77 per kWh, equating to $5,500 in savings per EV (given that current lithium-ion packs cost $132 per kWh). CATL has predicted they can produce them at a staggeringly low $40 per kWh once production is fully scaled, equating to $9,200 in savings per EV!"