Sodium-ion battery

A rechargeable battery that shuttles sodium ions instead of lithium ions, using cheaper and more abundant materials.

• Sodium is roughly a thousand times more abundant than lithium in Earth's crust, and the cells can use aluminium foil instead of copper.
• Sodium ions are larger and heavier, so cells store less, about 120–175 Wh/kg versus roughly 160–300 for lithium-ion.
• It keeps much of its capacity at −20 °C, tolerates full discharge, and is less prone to thermal runaway.
• Its cost edge depends on lithium prices; when lithium fell sharply in 2023–24, the gap narrowed.