Why Sodium-Ion Batteries Are Happening Now - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights the growing significance of sodium-ion batteries, driven largely by market dynamics and material cost pressures. CATL, the world’s largest battery producer, has been advancing sodium-ion battery production, signaling a strategic shift amid rising lithium prices and supply volatility. While lithium-ion batteries, particularly NMC and LFP chemistries, have dominated electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage markets, lithium carbonate prices surged sharply in 2025, increasing battery costs and prompting manufacturers to seek alternatives. Sodium-ion batteries offer a compelling solution due to sodium’s abundance, lower cost, and more stable supply compared to lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Sodium-ion battery technology leverages abundant elements such as sodium, iron, manganese, and nitrogen, with cathodes like Prussian blue analogs and layered oxides, and uses hard carbon anodes and aluminum current collectors, which are cheaper than graphite and copper used in lithium-ion batteries. This results in significantly lower material costs and reduced exposure to