QuoteThe country is racing ahead of the rest of the world in bringing sodium-ion batteries to the mass market. This time, through scooters.
Even as the rest of the world tries to close its gap with China in the race to make cheap, safe and efficient lithium-ion batteries, Chinese companies have already taken a head-start towards mass producing sodium-ion batteries, an alternative that could help the industry reduce its dependence on key raw minerals.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250530-how-electric-scooters-are-driving-chinas-salt-battery-push
This reminds me of the quip from the Saudi oil minister about how the Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones.
The Lithium Age won't end because we run out of lithium either.
I thought I read that the cheap BYD EV Seagull (looks a lot like the Honda Fit) was getting the sodium ion battery, Can't find it now, though. It does use their 'Blade' battery and BYD's S-I batteries are to be in the Blade class.
You Should Be Afraid Of The $8,000 BYD Seagull
https://insideevs.com/features/761423/byd-seagull-drive-in-china/
I missed that.
SI batteries have 30% less energy density than LI, so vehicles using them don't have amazing range. So I was expecting to see them more in the utility-scale and house-scale batteries where being 30% bigger is not typically a major constraint.
Small, bare-boneish 'Commuter EVs' often have limited range, too.
News release: Scientists uncover key to stable, high-performance, and long-life sodium-ion batteries
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1091253