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Chinese Battery Maker Catl Signs First Major Sodium-Ion Deal for Energy Storage
The three-year agreement covers research, product use and project rollout as CATL says it has solved mass-production challenges.
On Monday, Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd signed a 60 GWh sodium-ion battery deal with Beijing HyperStrong Technology over three years, marking the largest such order ever placed.
Sodium-Ion batteries utilize widely available raw materials, making them cheaper and less volatile than lithium-ion technology; both CATL and HyperStrong view this transition as a strategic hedge against fluctuating lithium prices.
CATL reported solving manufacturing challenges and now possesses "large-scale delivery capabilities." Cells feature 160 Wh/kg energy density, exceed 15,000 cycles, and match lithium-ion dimensions for seamless infrastructure integration.
Industry observers describe the deal as a "DeepSeek moment" for energy storage. Davis Zhang, senior executive at Suzhou Hazardtex, told the South China Morning Post that wide sodium use could dramatically reduce costs and improve manufacturing efficiency.
While competitors like BYD also pursue sodium-ion platforms, this agreement establishes CATL as the commercial leader. The company simultaneously targets mass production for electric vehicles by the end of 2026, leveraging its 39.2% global EV battery market share.