Sodium batteries reach industrial maturity in electric vehicles
The first electric car equipped with sodium batteries is the result of a partnership between Changan Automobile and battery giant CATL. Together they developed the Changan Nevo A06, the first mass-produced model fitted with CATL’s 45 kWh Naxtra sodium-ion battery.
The vehicle offers a claimed driving range of 400 km on a single charge, achieved through a cell-to-pack design in which individual cells are integrated directly into the battery pack rather than assembled into modules.
Rigorous winter and safety testing for Na+ battery technology
The new sodium battery electric vehicle was officially presented during the Changan SDA Intelligence Milestone Release & Sodium-Ion Battery Global Strategy Launch event. Before its debut, however, the model underwent stringent winter testing in Yakeshi, where temperatures dropped to -30°C.
Despite the extreme cold, data showed that discharge power was nearly three times higher than conventional lithium iron phosphate batteries of the same capacity. The battery retained more than 90% of its capacity at -40°C and demonstrated stable discharge performance even in conditions as low as -50°C.
Testing extended beyond climate resilience. The Naxtra battery was subjected to electric drill penetration and full cutting under full charge. It produced no smoke, no fire and no explosion, and continued to discharge even after being cut.
Performance benchmarks and energy density limits
In terms of performance, sodium batteries currently remain within mainstream benchmarks. Energy density does not exceed 175 Wh/kg, allowing the technology to compete with traditional lithium iron phosphate batteries. However, it cannot match nickel manganese cobalt chemistries, nor, looking ahead, the next generation of solid-state batteries.
Higher range targets ahead
According to CATL, rapid development of the sodium-ion battery supply chain could significantly extend vehicle range. The company forecasts that fully electric vehicles powered by sodium batteries may reach 500 km or even 600 km of range in the future. Long-range hybrid models could exceed 300 km.
Changan, which also owns brands including Avatr, Deepal, Nevo and Uni, announced plans to progressively integrate sodium-ion batteries across its broader portfolio.