China Starts Making Sodium-Ion EVs
China has begun producing sodium-ion electric vehicles, moving ahead of Western automakers like Tesla and opening the door to a new category of EVs. CHANGAN Automobile recently unveiled an electric passenger car powered by a sodium-ion battery supplied by CATL, with volume production expected to begin later this year. CATL serves as CHANGAN’s exclusive sodium-ion battery partner, supplying Naxtra batteries across the automaker’s full lineup, including Deepal, UNI, Qiyuan, and AVATR. CATL’s Naxtra battery delivers an energy density of 175 watt-hours per kilogram, signaling readiness for commercial deployment. A Cell-to-Pack design helps reduce overall weight while enabling an estimated driving range of about 400 kilometers. Cold-weather performance is another standout feature, with the battery retaining more than 90% capacity…