CATL's Sodium-Ion Batteries Hit the Road in China
SHANGHAI (Reuters) — Chinese battery giant CATL has installed its Naxtra sodium-ion batteries in a passenger vehicle from Changan Automobile's Oshan sub-brand, with winter testing underway, according to reports from CnEVPost and CarNewsChina on Jan. 30, 2026. This marks the first known deployment of sodium-ion batteries in passenger cars, advancing earlier timelines that targeted the second quarter of 2026. The installation, likely in the Oshan 520 model equipped with CATL's chocolate battery swap system, follows initial use in commercial vehicles.
This breakthrough highlights CATL's push to diversify beyond lithium-ion technology amid rising material costs and supply constraints. By integrating sodium-ion batteries into everyday vehicles, CATL addresses key electric vehicle (EV) pain points like cold-weather performance and affordability, potentially reshaping the global market.
Evolution of Sodium-Ion Technology
CATL launched its first sodium-ion battery in July 2021 and introduced the Naxtra brand in April 2025, according to company announcements reported by ChargedEVs and Interesting Engineering. Large-scale production began in 2025, with the recent Tectrans II series offering 45 kWh packs for light commercial vehicles. These packs have completed testing and passed China's GB 38031-2025 EV traction battery standard for thermal stability, impact resistance and cycling, as detailed by ChargedEVs.
Sources confirm the batteries' energy density reaches up to 175 Wh/kg, matching high-end lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, with next-generation versions supporting a 500 km range in passenger vehicles. CATL's chief technology officer, Gao Huan, stated in a Jan. 22 interview with China Securities Journal, via CnEVPost, that sodium-ion batteries will match LFP energy density within three years and show steeper growth than lithium-based technologies.
CATL follows a "dual-star" strategy, developing sodium-ion alongside lithium-ion, amid rising lithium prices since 2021. This positions sodium, derived from abundant sea salt, as a cheaper alternative, according to BBC reports on China's battery diversification.
Advantages Driving Adoption
Key technical advantages include superior cold-weather performance: The batteries charge at -30°C and retain 90% usable capacity at -40°C, operating from -40°C to 70°C, according to CATL via BatteriesNews and CnEVPost. They also enhance safety by eliminating fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, as noted in reports from Electrek and Interesting Engineering. Additionally, they offer lower costs, potentially 30% cheaper than LFP batteries, per Morgan Stanley analysis cited by Interesting Engineering.
"The battery pack can still be plugged in and charged in extreme cold environments as low as -30°C. At -40°C, the battery retains 90% of its usable capacity," CATL stated, as quoted by BatteriesNews and CnEVPost. This contrasts with lithium-ion batteries, which often lose significant capacity in sub-zero conditions, per International Energy Agency trends on battery diversification.
These benefits address EV challenges like cold-weather range loss and lithium supply constraints, enabling broader adoption in emerging markets and low-range vehicles. Industry experts via CarNewsChina say CATL's entry into passenger vehicles will likely target the battery swapping sector first, as seen in the Changan Oshan installation.
China's Lead in Sodium-Ion Innovation
China dominates sodium-ion development, with CATL, BYD and Gotion leading, according to Electrek. This ties into broader trends, including battery swaps for humanoid robots and energy storage, as reported by TrendForce via CnEVPost. Global capacity is projected at 60 GWh by 2025, with shipments exceeding 200 GWh by 2030, per analysts cited by CarNewsChina.
The move accelerates sodium-ion from niche applications like scooters and buses to mainstream passenger EVs. A minor timeline shift emerged: Gao Huan forecasted GAC Aion as the first in the second quarter of 2026, but Jan. 30 reports prioritize Changan Oshan testing now, with GAC and JAC following. This suggests installations beat expectations, resolving as a testing sequence rather than a contradiction, according to CnEVPost.
Future Prospects and Market Impact
Passenger vehicles from GAC Group, specifically GAC Aion models like the Aion Y Plus, and JAC are next for CATL sodium-ion batteries, with mass production and adoption slated for the second quarter of 2026, per Electrek and CnEVPost. CATL plans commercial-scale rollout across EVs, battery swaps and storage in 2026, including a July mass production start, as announced at supplier conferences in September and December 2025, via ChargedEVs.
Third-generation sodium-ion batteries are in development, targeting LFP-matching density in three years, Gao Huan told Interesting Engineering. Applications extend to 24V heavy truck solutions and energy storage, broadening the technology's reach. Analysts predict sodium-ion could cut costs by over 30% at 100 GWh scale, fostering a "dual-chemistry" era that reduces reliance on lithium, according to CarNewsChina.
This early installation in Changan Oshan vehicles exposes a weakness in Western EV strategies—ignoring sodium-ion's cold-weather edge leaves companies like Tesla and Ford vulnerable in northern markets. CATL's acceleration proves China will dominate the next battery wave, and delays elsewhere risk ceding the supply chain. We predict sodium-ion shipments will hit 250 GWh by 2030, outpacing forecasts, but only if global players invest now. Skeptics might dismiss this as hype, but the data signals lithium's monopoly is ending.