Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Sodium-ion batteries

Batteries using cheap, plentiful sodium instead of lithium; now entering the market.

Storage · Electrochemical · No. 71

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Storage · Electrochemical · Foundation · Energy

This battery runs on an element about 1,000 times more common than lithium, works at -40 C and ships fully flat.

Chart: Illustration: Sodium-ion batteries

Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Sodium comes from soda ash, with natural resources estimated at 47 billion tonnes, and can even be made from salt and limestone.

Three things to know
  1. From 2020 to 2024 sodium carbonate cost USD 100 to 500 a tonne, while lithium carbonate swung between USD 6,000 and 83,000.
  2. It keeps about 90% of its capacity at -40 C, a big edge for cold sites and hot, crowded cities alike.
  3. Sodium-ion beats LFP on cost only when lithium carbonate rises above roughly USD 20,000 a tonne.
The journey
  1. 1 Soda ashAbundant sodium, also from salt and limestone
  2. 2 CathodeLayered oxide, iron phosphate or Prussian blue
  3. 3 Hard carbonDisordered carbon anode holds sodium ions
  4. 4 CellShipped at zero charge, safer in transit
  5. 5 UsesGrid storage, cold sites, two-wheelers
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