This electric forklift concept by Japanese equipment giant Komatsu is powered by sodium-ion batteries and promises safer, cheaper operation than the competition.
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The world’s largest EV maker, BYD, broke ground on its first sodium-ion battery plant this week. BYD is investing $1.4 billion (RMB 10 billion) with 30 GWh planned annual capacity.
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FinDreams, the battery unit of Chinese automotive conglomerate BYD, is establishing a joint venture with Huaihai Holding Group. Together, the two companies intend to establish themselves as the world’s largest supplier of sodium-ion batteries for small EVs.
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Sodium-ion batteries have great promise. They’re energy dense, nonflammable, and operate well in colder temperatures, and sodium is cheap and abundant. Plus, sodium-based batteries will be more environmentally friendly and even less expensive than lithium-ion batteries are becoming now. Sodium-ion battery performance has been limited because of poor durability, but this is about to change for the better.
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During its “Tech Zone” online launch event, global battery maker CATL introduced its first-generation sodium-ion battery, as well as an AB solution that integrates both sodium-ion and lithium-ion cells into one pack. While this first generation of sodium-ion cells is not here to overtake traditional lithium-ion batteries, they do present a number of benefits for charging, maintaining energy, and helping to promote cleaner energy.
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