CATL has launched a new sodium-ion battery brand, Naxtra, which it said will enter mass production in December, along with its second-generation fast-charging batteries for electric vehicles.
CATL became the first major automotive battery manufacturer to launch a sodium-ion battery in 2021. Sodium is inexpensive and abundant, and its chemical composition can reduce the risk of fires in electric vehicles, according to experts.
The first production under the Naxtra brand will be a new sodium-ion battery with an energy density of 175 watt-hours per kilogram, roughly on par with the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries widely used in electric vehicles and grid energy storage systems.
According to Chinese company officials, sodium-ion batteries could replace up to half of the LFP battery market currently dominated by CATL. Their cost advantage over lithium-ion batteries will be a driver of their expansion and development.
Alongside Naxtra, CATL also launched the second generation of the Shenxing fast-charging battery, which it said offers a driving range of 520 kilometers on a five-minute charge and can reach 80% charge from zero in 15 minutes in cold weather.
CATL Chief Technology Officer Gao Huan stated at an event in Shanghai that more than 67 new electric vehicle models will be equipped with Shenxing batteries this year, according to Reuters.
According to CATL data, more than 18.32 million vehicles are equipped with the company’s batteries in more than 66 countries worldwide.
