近日，市场消息显示，由思皓新能源与中科海钠联合打造的行业首台钠离子电池试验车公开亮相，此次试验车中搭载的是应用蜂窝电池技术的钠离子电池包。此前中科海钠已经推出了三款钠离子电池，此次正式搭载在试验车当中测试，预示着离正式商用化已经不远。

首台钠离子电池试验车正式亮相

钠离子电池有望让电动汽车进入万元市场

写在最后

当然，由于钠离子电池的产业链尚未成熟，成本优势目前无法体现，想要实现可能需要等到2025年以后。或许在那时，我们就能够开上价值仅万元的电动汽车出行。

Recently, market news showed that the industrys first sodium-ion battery test vehicle jointly built by Sihao New Energy and China Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. was made public. This test vehicle was equipped with a sodium-ion battery package using cellular battery technology. Prior to that, CNOOC has launched three types of sodium ion batteries. This time, it was officially carried in the test vehicle for testing, indicating that it is not far from the official commercialization.
Once the sodium ion battery is officially commercialized, and the cost of sodium battery is expected to be lower than that of lithium iron phosphate battery, it will drive the price of electric vehicles to further decline and accelerate the penetration of electric vehicles.

The first sodium-ion battery test vehicle was officially unveiled
The sodium-ion battery test vehicle unveiled this time was jointly built by CNOOC and Sihao New Energy, a joint venture brand of Jiangqi Group and Volkswagen Group. Zhongkehai Sodium, established in 2017, is focused on the research and development and manufacturing of sodium ion batteries, and is also the first sodium ion battery company in China. The company has carried out a comprehensive layout from key core materials to cell manufacturing and system applications.
In the near future, China Kehai Sodium has launched three battery cell products. These sodium ion batteries can be used in two-wheeled vehicles, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, household and industrial and commercial energy storage, large-scale energy storage and other fields. The first sodium ion battery test vehicle launched this time is driven by sea sodium battery.
The data shows that the CLTC of this model has a range of 252km, an acceleration of 5.5 seconds from 0-100km, a battery capacity of 25KWh, a maximum speed of 120km per hour, and a fast charging time of 15-20 minutes. Compared with lithium ion battery, the energy density of sodium battery is close to 120-180Wh/kg of lithium iron phosphate battery.
From the perspective of its battery characteristics, the cycle life of the sodium ion battery has reached more than 3000 times. The sodium ion battery developed by Natron Energy in the United States can cycle more than 10000 times, which is not only far higher than about 300 times of the lead-acid battery, but also higher than 2000 times of the lithium iron phosphate battery.
At the same time, the internal resistance of the sodium ion battery is higher than that of the lithium battery, the instantaneous heat output is less in the case of short circuit, and the temperature of thermal runaway is also higher than that of the lithium battery, which has higher safety. For overcharge and discharge, short circuit, puncture, extrusion and other tests, the sodium battery can also be free from fire and explosion.
In terms of working temperature, the sodium ion battery can work normally in the temperature range of - 40 ℃ - 80 ℃, and the capacity retention rate is close to 90% in the environment of - 20 ℃, which is better than the lithium ion battery.
However, the energy density of sodium ion is lower than that of lithium ion battery. For example, the energy density of the first generation of sodium ion battery released by Ningde Times is about 160Wh/kg, which is lower than that of lithium iron phosphate battery, and can not be compared with the energy density of ternary lithium battery of 250Wh/kg.
Therefore, the main use scenarios of sodium ion batteries are still in areas where the energy density is not high, such as low-speed electric vehicles, energy storage, two-wheel electric vehicles, etc. Ningde Times said publicly last year that in terms of passenger car applications, sodium batteries can generally meet the needs of vehicles with a range of less than 400 kilometers.
Ningde Times also launched the AB battery system integration technology to realize the combination of sodium and lithium, improve the energy density of the battery system, and make the sodium battery expected to expand to 500km endurance vehicles. This endurance demand has been able to meet 65% of the use market.
At present, the proportion of various ions in the sodium lithium battery is not clear, but like the gas-electric hybrid vehicle, with the development of technology, it will also achieve a better balance and make the sodium ion battery more useful.
As the person in charge of Sihao New Energy said, it is judged that the application of sodium ion batteries in the new energy vehicle market will start from A00 electric vehicles. In the future, when the sodium ion batteries and performance are further mature, relevant products will be launched at the appropriate time.
Sodium ion battery is expected to let electric vehicles enter the 10000 yuan market
It is not only Chuanyi Technology, Ningde Times and other enterprises that have begun to lay out sodium ion batteries, but also many enterprises in the industry, including Penghui Energy, Dofluoro, Yiwei Lithium Energy, Xinwanda, Vico Technology, Funeng Technology and so on, have all chosen to bet on sodium ion batteries.
On the one hand, Chinas lithium resources are relatively scarce. The global lithium mines are highly concentrated in Chile, Australia and Argentina. According to the data in 2021, these three countries account for 72% of the global lithium resources reserves, while Chinas lithium resources reserves only account for 7%. It is difficult and costly to exploit, and 80% of lithium resources depend on imports.
The reserves of sodium are abundant. At present, the content of sodium in the crust is more than 1000 times that of lithium, while the reserves of sodium resources in China account for 22% of the world. The more abundant reserves can match the rapidly developing power battery and energy storage industry in China.
And because the working principle of the sodium ion battery is basically the same as that of the lithium ion battery, and the battery structure is similar, the technology and equipment of the lithium ion battery can be used for the production of the sodium ion battery, and the commercialization road is simpler.
With abundant reserves and mature technology, the cost of sodium ion battery is expected to be significantly lower than that of lithium ion battery. According to Zhongkehai Sodium, after the industrialization of sodium ion battery, the overall material cost is expected to be reduced by 30% - 40% compared with lithium battery by virtue of cheaper cathode material and fluid collector.
For example, at present, the power battery accounts for 40% - 60% of the cost of pure electric vehicles. Taking the median value as 50%, even if the cost of sodium ion battery decreases by 30%, the cost of the whole vehicle will decrease by 15%. At present, a Wuling Hongguang MINI EV sells for 32800 yuan. If the cost decreases by 15%, it means that it can be purchased with less than 28000 yuan.
If it is the second generation intelligent logistics vehicle of Orange Auto, which only needs 1.88 million yuan, it can be replaced with a sodium ion battery, which can be as low as about 16000 yuan, greatly saving the cost of urban logistics.
These A00 models are also the best application scenarios for sodium ion batteries at present. Most users who choose A00 models are cost-sensitive. The low cost of sodium ion batteries can well meet the needs of these users.
According to the data, the sales volume of A00 electric vehicles in China in 2021 was 890200, and the penetration rate of new energy vehicles was 27.04%. The sales volume of A00 electric vehicles in January-November 2022 was 1.25 million, but the penetration rate of new energy vehicles dropped to 21.77%, mainly due to the rising price of lithium batteries, which forced the price of new energy vehicles to rise, and let the penetration rate drop. The addition of sodium ion batteries is expected to continue to increase the penetration rate.
However, it is still difficult to realize low-cost sodium ion batteries. On the one hand, the cathode, cathode and electrolyte required for sodium ion batteries have not been mass produced, resulting in high costs and large differences in product performance and price.
According to the data of Guolian Securities, the current layered oxide anode is 80000 yuan/ton, hard carbon anode is 85000 yuan/ton, and electrolyte is 150000 yuan/ton. It is estimated that the BOM cost of sodium ion battery is about 0.67 yuan/Wh, which is basically equivalent to lithium iron phosphate battery.
From the perspective of the domestic market, the sodium ion battery is still in the early stage of development, and the upstream and downstream industry chain system as mature as the lithium ion battery has not been established. Even though enterprises such as Ningde Times, Vico Technology, and Funeng Technology have made clear their capacity planning, it is also in the early stage of mass production layout, and other enterprises are in the testing stage.
Therefore, the most advantageous cost of sodium ion batteries is not obvious at present, even because the upstream and downstream are not mature, resulting in higher production costs. According to Wu Hui, president of the China Battery Industry Research Institute, the industrialization of sodium batteries will be developed after 2025. Many experts in the industry predict that the industrialization process of sodium batteries will take about two years, even three to five years, at which time the cost of sodium batteries will really be lower than that of lithium batteries.
Write at the end
The first sodium-ion battery test vehicle in the industry launched by Sihao New Energy and Zhongke Haina indicates the beginning of sodium-ion electric vehicles from 0 to 1. However, due to the low cost, high safety, fast charging, low energy density and other characteristics of sodium ion, its application scenarios are limited to electric vehicles, energy storage batteries and IDC standby power supply in the 500km range industry.
This also shows that sodium ion batteries are not used to replace lithium ion batteries, but complement each other. Lithium-ion batteries are mainly used in the field of long life, and the price is more expensive, while sodium ion batteries focus on short distance transportation, such as urban courtesy cars, and the price is also cheaper.
Of course, because the industry chain of sodium ion battery is not mature, the cost advantage cannot be reflected at present. It may need to wait until 2025 to realize it. Perhaps at that time, we will be able to drive electric cars worth only ten thousand yuan.