# Sodium-ion batteries

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

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/

Storage · Electrochemical · No. 71

- Storage
- Duration: Hours
 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 ash**Abundant sodium, also from salt and limestone
2. 2 **Cathode**Layered oxide, iron phosphate or Prussian blue
3. 3 **Hard carbon**Disordered carbon anode holds sodium ions
4. 4 **Cell**Shipped at zero charge, safer in transit
5. 5 **Uses**Grid storage, cold sites, two-wheelers

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/correlation/index.md)
- [Science and technology](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/sg-sci/index.md)
- [Engineering and performance](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/sg-eng/index.md)
- [Economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/sg-econ/index.md)
- [Impact and additionality](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/sg-impact/index.md)
- [What to track](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/tracking/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sodium_ion/links/index.md)