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The majority of the rechargeable batteries utilized in today’s innovation, from electrical cars and trucks to the phones in our pockets, are lithium-ion(Li-ion) batteriesBecause its creation in the early 1990s, Li-ion battery innovation has actually been extensively embraced for its high energy density, light-weight building and construction and capability to offer high voltage as needed for gizmos and automobiles alike.
Researchers are working on a brand-new competitor that threatens to relegate Li-ion to the past– at least in particular applications. Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries(often called NIBs as an abbreviation of Na-ion battery)are an emerging battery innovation that shops charged salt ions in batteries’ electrodes, instead of lithium ions as in Li-ion batteries.
Na-ion batteries likewise include intrinsic security advantages that might make them more tasty for massive, fixed battery setups, researchers that are dealing with the innovation state.Na-ion batteries vs Li-ion batteries: What are the advantages?The primary advantage of Na-ion batteries is that they are less expensive, much easier and more sustainable to make due to the fact that of the large accessibility of salt.
“Particularly, salt is more affordable, more plentiful and less geographically focused than lithium,” discussed Dustin Bauera partner at copyright company Reddie & & Grose with doctoral experience studying the synthesis, structure, and usage of Na-ion batteries and Li-ion batteries.
Due to the fact that of the operating voltage of the batteries, Li-ion needs making use of copper for the unfavorable present collector, however copper is more costly and weighs more than aluminum
Carmen M. López, primary researcher in the electrochemistry group at National Physical Laboratory (NPL).
With the previous years having actually made the possible mistakes of the international supply chain plain to see, along with environment targets needing a mass switch to amazed grids and transportation anywhere possible, there’s a clear advantage to embracing batteries that do not depend on hard-to-source crucial minerals to work.
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“For recommendation, Sodium is the 6th most typical aspect in the world, and has a natural abundance of 2,360 mg/L, whereas Lithium, at number 32 in the list, has a natural abundance of 20 mg/L,” stated Carmen M. Lópezprimary researcher in the electrochemistry group at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).
When the supply chains for Na-ion batteries are functional at scale, they might assist drive the expenses far listed below Li-ion batteries, flooding the world market with more economical energy storage choices. CATL, the world’s biggest battery makerjust recently began business production of Na-ion batteries for heavy cars
Beyond the silicon utilized for the cathode in the battery, the chemistry of Na-ion batteries likewise prevents the requirement for other pricey parts.
“Because of the operating voltage of the batteries, Li-ion requires the use of copper for the negative current collector, but copper is more expensive and weighs more than aluminum,” López stated.
She included that Na-ion batteries bring the capacity for changing natural electrolytes– utilized as the carrying out medium for ions in Li-ion batteries– with liquid electrolytes. This would make battery production more sustainable and less expensive still.
Battery chemistry likewise lies at the heart of security claims surrounding Na-ion batteries. Thermal runaway– an exothermic domino effect that can happen inside battery cells and trigger them to ignite– is less most likely to happen in a Na-ion battery than a Li-ion battery.
This is due to the fact that salt ions are bigger than lithium ions and for that reason have higher “friction”– the outcome is that, in case of damage that might result in thermal runaway, they stream to the effect point at a rate which is not likely to trigger a quick spike in temperature level. Lithium ions, on the other hand, can stream rapidly, triggering getting too hot, the release of oxygen and ignition.
An infrared image revealing a lithium-ion battery getting too hot. (Image credit: Donal Finegan, UCL )Na-ion batteries use enhanced temperature level resistance over Li-ion batteries, due to their low volatility and the minimized viscosity of the electrolyte. Simply put, this describes the deterioration of efficiency at low temperature levels connected to the lower charge density of salt ions compared to lithium ions, implying that the ions continue to move easily even in low temperature levels.
In a current research study released Dec. 12 in the journal Chinese Chemical Lettersresearchers at Hunan First Normal University and Central South University discovered that Li-ion batteries might maintain simply 20% of their space temperature level energy capability when evaluated at -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius). Na-ion batteries, the scientists kept in mind, might use much better efficiency, based on more screening.
Could Na-ion batteries benefit EVs?The lower expense and increased security of Na-ion batteries make them an appropriate prospect for EV batteries. As the world increases its EV adoption– with 39 nations having actually passed 10% EV sales share as of 2025, according to the energy think-tank Ember — more sustainable and scalable supply chains for lorry batteries will end up being needed.
When Na-ion production is attained at scale, it might be extremely regionalized, with factories in the bulk of world areas efficient in recording or manufacturing the tough carbon that forms the foundation of the gadgets.
In addition, the decreased possibility of thermal runaway happening within Na-ion batteries might increase the security of EV batteries, which presently combust at a rate comparable to that of fuel and diesel fuels, according to National Car Charging information
No innovation is best, nevertheless, and we’re not likely to see Na-ion batteries change all Li-ion batteries at any time quickly. This is due to the fact that the downsides of Na-ion make it a more situational option to the lithium-based batteries we understand so well.
Na-ion batteries have lower energy density than Li-ion batteries. This is for the very same factor that they have lower viscosity– salt ions are just bigger than lithium ions, decreasing the general motion that can take place within the Na-ion battery’s electrolyte and equate to power.
The mass of salt is likewise 3 times that of lithium, per the American Physical Societywhich suggests you get less charge held per gram of Na-ion battery.
In practice, this amounts to Na-ion batteries being not able to take on Li-ion for large amount of energy held. The very same information from the American Physical Society priced estimate the typical energy density of Li-ion batteries as remaining in the variety of 100-300 watt hours per kg. CATL’s first-generation Na-ion batteries, on the other hand, attained a figure of simply 160 Wh/kg.
The within an electrical lorry, revealing its battery. (Image credit: Getty Images/xia yuan)The naturally lower energy density of Na-ion batteries compared to Li-ion is a significant stumbling block to utilizing them for EVs, in spite of the possible security advantages of doing so. Bauer explained the concern of energy density as the “main and possibly decisive” disadvantage for Na-ion batteries, and it’s clear that scientists are striving to conquer this difficulty.
“There is a great deal of dispute in the battery neighborhood about this,”López informed Live Science. “Due to the limitations in power and energy density, to power your typical electric vehicle, the size and weight of Na-ion batteries that will be needed will make them unsuitable for onboard deployment. The best chance in transportation would [be] in slow-charging infrastructure, and/or ultra-compact, short distance drive vehicles.”
López included that the downsides of Na-ion’s lower energy density can’t rather be balanced out by its lower expense and weight due to its easier, copper-light style. For the minute, the economics of some Na-ion batteries simply do not include up.
All of this implies Na-ion batteries are at present preferable for fixed systems– and are for that reason not the very first option for EV batteries. This is far from a specific niche market.
Grid storage beckonsOne of the most appealing usage cases for Na-ion batteries, backed up by the professionals to whom LiveScience spoke, is grid-scale energy storage such as battery energy storage systems (BESS).
These huge selections of batteries are ending up being significantly essential for the stability of nationwide and local grids, in specific for saving the periodic energy production of renewables such as solar and wind farms for later usage.
Keeping ranges of batteries might be difficult for usages like electrical lorries. ( Image credit: Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images )The U.K. Parliament has actually analyzed the danger of thermal runaway for grid-scale BESS, mentioning the examples of fires at BESS websites connected to the procedure in both Liverpool and Essex
Even with the lower in advance expense of Na-ion taken into account, energy density stays a drawback for the innovation when it comes to energy storage. EV and battery huge BYD’s MC Cube-SIB ESS, its Na-ion BESS item, provides an energy storage capability of simply 2.3 MWh in its 20-foot size setup, as reported by Energy Storage News This compares to around 6.4 MWh for BYD’s Li-ion offering in the exact same lineup.
Bauer indicated the Baochi Storage Station in Yunnan as an example of both Li-ion and Na-ion being utilized to keep renewable resource at scale. A few of the primary reported advantages of the technique consist of quicker discharge of batteries– 6 times faster than existing battery designs, according to the Global Times — and much better durability in weather varying from (-4 to 113 degrees F (-20 to 45 degrees C).
When will Na-ion batteries be commercially readily available?While research study into Na-ion is continuous and brand-new advancements assist enhance the energy density of Na-ion batteries, this is a fully grown field of research study with substantial business capacity. We’re currently seeing producers turning out items powered by Na-ion batteries.”Commercial production is already happening, with early mass production capacity coming online,” stated Bauer.
“CATL, who are the world’s biggest Li-ion battery producer, in 2025 revealed a Naxtra traveler EV NIB with an energy density of 175 Wh/kg, and Freevoy, a blended ion (combined NIB and LFP Li-ion) battery. More just recently, CATL exposed Tianxing II, a “mass-produced” NIB for light business automobiles.”
Despite this, López cautions that more real-world safety tests for Na-ion batteries must still be completed: “Will it be more preferable and practicable to release these batteries in metropolitan vs remote environments? How do we adjust them to existing electrical energy facilities? To name a few things to be thought about,” she stated.
Rory Bathgate is a self-employed author for Live Science and Features and Multimedia Editor at ITPro, supervising all thorough material and case research studies. Beyond his work for ITPro, Rory is acutely thinking about how the tech world converges with our battle versus environment modification. This incorporates a concentrate on the energy shift, especially renewable resource generation and grid storage along with advances in electrical automobiles and the quick development of the electrification market. In his spare time, Rory delights in photography, video modifying and sci-fi. He signed up with ITPro in 2022 as a graduate, after finishing an MA (Hons) in Eighteenth-Century Studies at King’s College London. You can get in touch with Rory at rory.bathgate@futurenet.com.
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