On February 5, 2026, CATL and Changan Automobile unveiled the Nevo A06 in China: the world's first electric vehicle with a sodium-ion battery in mass production. A technology long promising in the lab has entered commercial reality, and it could fundamentally change the EV market. CATL's chief scientist Wu Kai announced on April 22 that the company would sharply expand production capacity in the second half of 2026. Anyone who wants to buy an electric car with a sodium-ion battery can already do so.
What Makes Sodium-Ion Batteries Better
The Changan Nevo A06 is equipped with a CATL Naxtra battery with 45 kWh, achieving an energy density of 175 Wh/kg and offering more than 400 kilometers of range. At minus 40 degrees Celsius, the cells retain 90 percent of their capacity according to the manufacturer, a clear advantage over lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, which degrade more sharply in extreme cold.
The decisive argument, however, is cost. Sodium-ion batteries are expected to be around 30 percent cheaper than LFP packs at the cell level. The reason lies in the raw materials: while lithium, cobalt and nickel are expensive and geopolitically contested, sodium can be produced as sodium carbonate cheaply in virtually every country in the world. Sodium is, essentially, salt.
The Four Manufacturing Problems Solved
Sodium-ion batteries have long been considered technologically promising but failed to scale for four specific reasons. Wu Kai explained at CATL's April 22 technology conference that the company had overcome all four.
First, the cell chemistry is extremely sensitive to moisture in the production environment. Second, gas bubbles formed during charging, causing swelling. Third, electrodes adhered poorly to aluminum foils. Fourth, no anode structure with sufficient storage capacity existed. CATL resolved this last problem with second-generation hard-carbon anodes that can hold significantly more sodium ions than earlier designs.
Market Launch and Geopolitical Significance
The Nevo A06 is currently the only production vehicle with a sodium-ion battery on the market, with additional models expected in 2027. CATL is targeting a total production capacity of 100 gigawatt-hours by 2027, up from less than 5 GWh in 2025. The technology is intended not only for passenger cars but also for commercial vehicles, battery-swap systems and stationary storage.
The geopolitical dimension is considerable. China controls large portions of the global supply chain for lithium, cobalt and nickel. Sodium-ion batteries could loosen this dependency: since sodium carbonate is cheaply available virtually everywhere, Europe and the United States could build battery factories without relying on Chinese-controlled raw material markets. For the supply security of the European EV industry, that would be a structural shift.
Where the Limits Are
One weakness remains: the energy density of 175 Wh/kg falls below modern LFP cells (200 to 210 Wh/kg) and well below premium NMC batteries, which reach 300 Wh/kg and more. For affordable electric cars and mid-range models with ranges up to 400 kilometers, the technology is well suited. For long-range vehicles or heavy SUVs, sodium-ion batteries are not a viable solution for the foreseeable future.
CATL is working on a second generation with a projected energy density of more than 200 Wh/kg. If successful, the range of applications should grow significantly. A review of progress is planned for late 2026. For buyers looking for a more affordable everyday electric car that also performs reliably in winter, sodium-ion technology may already be the right choice.