China's CATL brings –22°F ready sodium batteries to passenger cars

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL is advancing its sodium-ion battery technology, branded as Naxtra, into passenger vehicles, expanding beyond its initial commercial vehicle applications. The company is initiating public winter testing of these batteries in passenger cars from manufacturers such as Changan Oshan, with plans to include GAC and JAC models. This move follows CATL’s recent launch of the Tianxing II Light Commercial Vehicle Solution, featuring 45 kWh sodium-ion battery packs designed for reliable performance in extreme cold conditions, addressing a key challenge in electric mobility. CATL is positioning sodium-ion batteries as a safer and more cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion, especially amid rising lithium supply chain costs. Although lithium-ion remains dominant in China’s battery market—with installed capacity reaching 769.7 GWh in 2025—CATL’s CTO Gao Huan projects that sodium-ion energy density will match lithium iron phosphate cells within three years. Analysts forecast significant cost reductions as production scales, with Morgan Stanley estimating sodium-ion batteries could