Truck Sodium Batteries: Breaking the Bottleneck in Heavy-Duty Truck Electrification and Opening a New Path to Low-Cost Green Mobility

In the wave of heavy‑duty truck electrification, lithium batteries have long dominated. However, the scarcity of lithium resources, geopolitical risks, and performance limitations at low temperatures have constrained their widespread adoption across all scenarios. Sodium‑ion batteries, with their core advantages of abundant resources, controllable costs, and wide temperature adaptability, are rapidly expanding from the energy storage sector into commercial vehicles, emerging as a new breakthrough point for truck electrification. With technological breakthroughs and mass production by companies such as CATL and HiNa Battery, truck sodium‑ion batteries are transitioning from concept to practical application, offering cost‑effective green power solutions for the logistics and transportation industry and driving heavy‑duty truck electrification into an era of “lithium‑sodium coexistence.”

I. Technical Core: Innate Advantages Aligned with Heavy‑Duty Truck Operational Needs

Sodium‑ion batteries operate on a similar principle to lithium‑ion batteries, relying on ion movement between the cathode and anode to store and release energy. However, the natural properties of sodium give them unique advantages in heavy‑duty truck scenarios. Compared with lithium‑ion batteries, sodium‑ion batteries demonstrate superior resource endowment, temperature adaptability, fast‑charging capability, and safety, making them better suited to the high‑intensity, multi‑condition, and all‑weather operational requirements of heavy trucks, and gradually compensating for the shortcomings of lithium‑ion batteries in specific scenarios.

1. Key Performance Highlights: Precisely Matching Heavy‑Duty Truck Requirements

Stable operation across a wide temperature range is a core competitive advantage of truck sodium‑ion batteries. Sodium batteries feature lower solvation energy and better interfacial ion diffusion, maintaining over 90% capacity retention at ‑20°C and 70% even at ‑40°C. Without the need for additional heating systems, they can meet the all‑weather operational needs of heavy trucks in cold regions such as Inner Mongolia and Northeast China, significantly reducing winter energy consumption and maintenance costs. In contrast, traditional LFP batteries retain only around 60% capacity at ‑20°C and require heating devices, increasing energy consumption and system complexity.

Fast‑charging and long cycle life provide dual support. Current mainstream truck sodium‑ion batteries achieve 5C fast‑charging, enabling full charge in 20–25 minutes, while maintaining over 8,000 cycles under fast‑charge conditions. Some polyanion‑based products can even reach 20,000 cycles, far exceeding the 10‑year operational life of heavy trucks. This “high‑frequency fast‑charging” characteristic allows trucks to operate with smaller battery packs, meeting daily mileage requirements through 2–3 charging sessions per day, reducing battery costs, lowering vehicle weight, and improving transportation efficiency.

Intrinsic safety and cost potential are prominent. Sodium batteries feature more stable electrolytes with thermal runaway onset temperatures ranging from 200–550°C, and do not ignite or explode under extreme conditions such as nail penetration, overcharge, or compression. This eliminates safety hazards at the material level, making them particularly suitable for personnel‑dense or enclosed environments such as ports and mining areas. In terms of cost, sodium is 420 times more abundant than lithium in the Earth’s crust, and sodium batteries do not require rare metals such as cobalt or nickel. The price of sodium carbonate, a key cathode raw material, is only about 1,500 RMB/ton, enabling cell BOM costs as low as 0.3–0.5 RMB/Wh. Although current system costs are close to LFP batteries due to limited production capacity, long‑term cost advantages are expected to reach 30–40%.

2. Technical Shortcomings and Breakthrough Directions

Insufficient energy density remains the main limitation of current truck sodium‑ion batteries. Mass‑produced cells currently achieve 145–175 Wh/kg, comparable to entry‑level LFP batteries but still below the 160–190 Wh/kg of high‑end LFP products. While laboratory prototypes have reached 200 Wh/kg, large‑scale mass production has not yet been realized. This makes sodium batteries less suitable for long‑haul scenarios with high range requirements, and they cannot fully replace lithium batteries in the short term.

The industry is addressing performance bottlenecks through material improvements and structural optimization. CATL has increased sodium‑ion battery energy density to 175 Wh/kg through material innovation, while HiNa Battery’s “Sea Star” series achieves 165 Wh/kg, with further improvements possible through CTP integration technology. Additionally, innovative solutions such as sodium‑iron dual‑core architectures combine sodium batteries with LFP batteries to balance low‑temperature performance and long range, expanding application boundaries.

II. Commercialization Progress: From Pilot Projects to Large‑Scale Deployment

2025 has become a pivotal year for the commercialization of truck sodium‑ion batteries. Leading companies have launched mass‑produced products and solutions, OEM cooperation models have gradually 落地，and pilot application scenarios have expanded, marking the transition from laboratory to industrial practice and the beginning of large‑scale growth. Over the next 3–5 years, truck sodium‑ion batteries are expected to enter the GWh‑scale shipping stage, gradually replacing lithium batteries in specific scenarios.

1. Leading Enterprise Layout: Accelerating Technology and Mass Production

CATL has seized market opportunities through brand‑driven operations. In April 2025, it launched the “Sodium‑New Battery” brand, introducing the first 24V start‑stop integrated battery for heavy trucks, featuring one‑click start at ‑40°C, an 8‑year ultra‑long lifespan, and deep discharge capability. The total lifecycle cost is 61% lower than lead‑acid batteries. Mass production began in June 2025, with first 配套 on FAW Jiefang models, pioneering the heavy‑truck auxiliary power market. CATL’s sodium‑ion batteries cover a full temperature range from ‑40°C to 70°C, restructuring heavy‑truck power systems from the perspective of intrinsic safety and driving commercial vehicles into an era of “lead‑free” power.

HiNa Battery has focused on breakthroughs in power scenarios. The world’s first sodium‑ion battery electric tractor, jointly developed with King Long Heavy Duty Truck, was successfully listed in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Announcement No. 399, marking the official commercialization of sodium‑ion heavy trucks in transportation. The model adopts HiNa’s “Sea Star” battery solution, offering four products from K150 to K350 for short‑haul and logistics transportation. With advantages such as “smaller battery packs, fast charging, and multiple daily uses,” it reduces user battery investment while improving operational efficiency. Large‑scale application of thousands of units and GWh‑level battery shipments are planned for 2026.

2. Scenario Implementation: Focusing on Segmented Sectors for Early Growth

The commercialization of truck sodium‑ion batteries is characterized by “scenario segmentation and precise breakthroughs,” with priority given to fixed‑route, high‑frequency charging scenarios such as short‑haul transportation, port operations, and mining transportation. These scenarios have relatively low range requirements but high dependence on fast charging, low‑temperature adaptability, and cost control, which align naturally with the characteristics of sodium‑ion batteries.

In port and mining scenarios, sodium batteries offer significant advantages in safety and wide temperature adaptability. Port tractors operate on fixed routes with concentrated charging points, making them suitable for high‑frequency fast charging, which significantly reduces exhaust emissions and noise. Mining trucks face harsh conditions such as extreme cold and vibration; sodium batteries can operate stably without heating systems, and their intrinsic safety reduces risks in extreme environments. In urban short‑haul and sanitation scenarios, the cost advantages of sodium batteries are gradually emerging, replacing traditional lead‑acid batteries and low‑end lithium batteries, and reducing procurement and operational costs for logistics companies and municipal departments.

3. Industrial Ecosystem: Collaborative Construction of a Complete Supply Chain

The truck sodium‑ion battery industry chain is accelerating formation, creating a collaborative ecosystem of “material enterprises – battery manufacturers – OEMs – end users.” On the material side, companies in key links such as cathodes and electrolytes are expanding production to address capacity shortages. Battery manufacturers and OEMs are deeply integrated, jointly developing customized models, such as the cooperation between CATL and FAW Jiefang, and HiNa Battery and King Long Heavy Duty Truck, to achieve precise matching between battery technology and vehicle architecture. Meanwhile, sodium batteries are synergizing with the energy storage industry; retired sodium batteries can be cascaded for use in energy storage stations, enhancing lifecycle value and building a closed‑loop “vehicle–storage–grid” ecosystem.

III. Competitive Landscape: Lithium‑Sodium Complementarity and Differentiated Breakthroughs

Truck sodium‑ion batteries are not intended to completely replace lithium‑ion batteries, but to form a pattern of “lithium‑sodium coexistence and scenario complementarity.” Based on their respective characteristics, the two technologies occupy different market segments: lithium batteries dominate long‑haul scenarios due to their high energy density, while sodium batteries achieve differentiated breakthroughs in low‑temperature, high‑frequency fast‑charging, and low‑cost scenarios, together driving the penetration of heavy‑duty truck electrification.

1. Comparison of Core Performance Between Lithium and Sodium Batteries

In terms of energy density, LFP batteries remain superior, with high‑end products reaching 190 Wh/kg, suitable for long‑haul heavy trucks with high range requirements. Although the gap is narrowing, sodium batteries’ peak energy density of 175 Wh/kg still cannot support ultra‑long‑distance operations. In terms of cost and resources, sodium batteries have irreplaceable innate advantages; as production capacity expands, the cost gap will widen, alleviating industry “lithium resource anxiety.” In low‑temperature performance and fast charging, sodium batteries lead comprehensively, making them the preferred choice in cold regions and high‑frequency charging scenarios.

2. Market Competition Trends

The current truck sodium‑ion battery market is in the introduction stage led by leading enterprises. CATL and HiNa Battery hold first‑mover advantages through technological accumulation and mass production capabilities, while companies such as Super 威 are also accelerating 布局，intensifying market competition. However, the overall market scale remains small; global sodium‑ion battery capacity was less than 5 GWh in 2025, far below the 1.5 TWh of lithium batteries, and supply chain maturity needs improvement. A capacity expansion peak is expected in 2026, and as more enterprises enter the market, competition will shift from technological breakthroughs to cost control and scenario adaptation capabilities.

IV. Future Trends: Parallel Development of Technological Upgrades and Scenario Expansion

Looking ahead 3–5 years, driven by technological iteration, capacity expansion, and scenario expansion, truck sodium‑ion batteries will enter a period of rapid growth. By 2030, their penetration in heavy‑duty trucks is expected to reach 15–20%, forming a complementary market structure with lithium batteries and  heavy‑duty truck electrification into a diversified development stage.

Technologically, energy density will continue to improve; through material upgrades and integration technology optimization, sodium‑ion cell energy density is expected to exceed 200 Wh/kg, gradually penetrating medium‑ and long‑haul scenarios. Fast‑charging technology will advance to higher rates, enabling full charge in 15 minutes and further improving operational efficiency. Hybrid architectures such as sodium‑iron dual‑core will become more common, balancing the needs of different scenarios. In terms of capacity and cost, GWh‑scale production lines will accelerate deployment, and economies of scale will drive sodium‑ion system costs below 0.4 RMB/Wh, fully realizing cost advantages.

In terms of scenarios, application scope will expand from short‑haul, ports, and mining to urban logistics, sanitation, cold chain transportation, and other segments, forming full‑scenario coverage. Meanwhile, as the cascaded utilization system for retired batteries improves, the lifecycle value of sodium batteries will further increase, creating deep synergies with energy storage and grid frequency regulation, and building a green energy ecosystem.

As a new path for heavy‑duty truck electrification, sodium‑ion batteries are breaking the pattern of lithium‑battery dominance through advantages in resources, cost, and scenario adaptability, providing more flexible and economical solutions for the logistics industry to achieve carbon neutrality. With technological maturity and ecosystem improvement, truck sodium‑ion batteries will become a core force driving the in‑depth development of heavy‑duty truck electrification, opening a new chapter in green logistics.