Lithium remains the most popular technology in electric vehicles, but the demand for more efficient materials and sustainable alternatives for batteries is increasing. And sodium, one of the most common elements on Earth, can establish itself as a viable alternative, as a low-cost solution complementary to LFP batteries. Especially for compact vehicles or entry-level versions, due to its lower energy density.
Sodium-ion batteries have similar characteristics but lower capacity than lithium-ion batteries. However, being the sixth most abundant material on the planet, it is obtained at a lower price, does not require rare metals, is easier to recycle, and performs better in cold weather.
A set of advantages that makes the technology appealing to manufacturers, with JAC Motors from China at the forefront. The company, which is 75% owned by Volkswagen, has started production of the first electric vehicle equipped with a sodium-ion battery, the Yiwei EV.
There were rumors that the BYD Seagull would be the first mass-produced EV with a sodium-ion battery. However, when it was launched in April, it came with a standard BYD LFP Blade battery. No BYD model in Portugal uses sodium batteries without lithium.
Yiwei EV travels 252 km on a single charge
According to CarNewsChina, the JAC Motors model is available with a pack of cylindrical sodium-ion batteries from HiNa Battery, in a UE (Unit Encapsulation) module with a « honeycomb » design and a capacity of 25 kWh, enough to travel up to 252 kilometers between charges.
JAC Motors, a company founded in China in the 1960s, and whose electric vehicle division is 75% owned by the Volkswagen Group, is already present in Portugal through JAC Motors Iberia, with a range of 7.5-ton electric trucks.
