CATL Makes Big Announcement on Sodium Batteries for 2026 - CleanTechnica

Battery giant CATL, the world’s largest battery producer, announced significant progress in sodium-ion battery technology, projecting that by 2026 these batteries could power standard passenger electric vehicles (EVs) with a range of around 500 km (311 miles) and an energy density of up to 175 Wh/kg. This milestone suggests sodium-ion batteries are approaching the performance needed for mass-market EVs, although pricing details remain undisclosed. CATL plans to deploy sodium-ion batteries across various sectors, including passenger and commercial EVs, stationary energy storage, and battery swapping systems. CATL emphasizes a future battery market featuring a “dual-star” system where both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries coexist, each offering distinct advantages. Sodium-ion batteries, launched commercially by CATL’s Naxtra division in 2025, excel in extreme temperature conditions and promise longer-term benefits such as lower costs, improved safety, and reduced carbon emissions compared to lithium-ion batteries. This announcement marks a shift from sodium-ion batteries