Is the Lithium Era Ending? CATL Produces Sodium-Ion Batteries

Chinese company CATL, the world's largest manufacturer of traction batteries, has officially announced the timeline for bringing sodium-ion batteries to the mass market. According to the company's statement, the first stationary energy storage systems based on sodium will begin delivery to customers in September 2026. By the end of the year, CATL plans to increase delivery volumes to the gigawatt-hour level, indicating the technology's transition to industrial scale. About this Ixbt.com reports .

Lin Xueyao, Technology Director of CATL's Energy Storage Systems Division, confirmed this information at an industry event in China. According to him, the company is fully ready for serial production of sodium-ion cells and considers 2026 a key stage in the commercial launch of the technology. Although sodium-ion batteries have been developed in parallel with lithium systems since the 1970s, they remained secondary for a long time due to low energy density.

The situation has changed in recent years after CATL brought the technology to an industrial level. The company has gone through several development stages: the first generation of sodium-ion cells was introduced in 2021, and the second generation under the Naxtra brand was presented in April 2025. CATL intends to use sodium not only in stationary storage facilities but also in electric vehicles and battery swapping systems.

The main advantage of sodium is its economic efficiency. Sodium is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and can be obtained from common salt or seawater. This makes it significantly cheaper than lithium. Sodium-ion batteries are becoming the most suitable candidate for segments where price and convenience are more important than maximum energy capacity.

The primary direction for these systems is large stationary energy storage facilities operating alongside solar and wind power plants. At the same time, CATL plans to apply this technology in affordable electric vehicles designed for short distances. In the future, sodium is expected to displace a portion of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries from the market.