CHANGAN Automobile has taken a major step toward reshaping electric mobility by unveiling the world’s first mass-production passenger vehicle powered by sodium-ion batteries. Revealed at the “CHANGAN SDA Intelligence Milestone Release & Sodium-Ion Battery Global Strategy Launch” event, the vehicle is expected to reach the market by mid-2026.
The project is the result of a strategic partnership with CATL, CHANGAN’s exclusive sodium-ion battery supplier. Under the agreement, CATL will provide its Naxtra sodium-ion batteries across CHANGAN’s entire brand lineup, including AVATR, Deepal, Qiyuan, and UNI. This move signals a broader industry shift toward a dual-chemistry ecosystem, where sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries coexist to serve different performance, cost, and supply-chain needs.
CATL describes sodium-ion technology as a critical pillar for the future of energy security and sustainable electrification. The company views CHANGAN’s early commitment as comparable to its early adoption of electric vehicles, positioning the automaker once again at the forefront of industry change.
At the core of this launch is CATL’s Naxtra sodium-ion battery, which achieves an energy density of up to 175 Wh/kg—currently the highest level available for mass-produced sodium-ion cells. Combined with CATL’s Cell-to-Pack architecture and intelligent battery management system, the technology enables a pure-electric driving range exceeding 400 kilometers. As the sodium-ion supply chain matures, projected ranges could increase to 500–600 kilometers for fully electric models and 300–400 kilometers for range-extended or hybrid vehicles. This would cover more than half of the range requirements in today’s new-energy vehicle market.
One of sodium-ion’s most compelling advantages lies in cold-weather performance. CATL’s battery delivers nearly three times the discharge power of comparable LFP batteries at –30°C, while retaining more than 90% of its capacity at –40°C. Stable power delivery has been verified at temperatures as low as –50°C, making the technology particularly well suited for colder regions. Safety testing has also shown strong results, with the battery remaining free of smoke and fire during extreme tests such as crushing, drilling, and sawing—all while continuing to supply power.
Beyond performance, sodium-ion batteries offer strategic and environmental benefits. Sodium is abundant and widely available, reducing dependence on constrained raw materials and helping diversify global battery supply chains. The chemistry also supports more environmentally friendly production and recycling processes, contributing to lower overall carbon impact.
Market analysts expect rapid growth in this segment. According to Precedence Research, the global sodium-ion battery market is projected to expand from USD 1.39 billion in 2025 to USD 6.83 billion by 2034, with 2026 shaping up as a pivotal year for wider vehicle adoption. Supporting this expansion, CATL is developing its sodium-ion platform for flexible integration across multiple vehicle brands. In parallel, the company plans to deploy more than 3,000 Choco-Swap battery swap stations across 140 Chinese cities by 2026, including over 600 stations in colder northern regions.
CATL’s progress in sodium-ion technology is the result of nearly a decade of research. Since 2016, the company has invested close to RMB 10 billion ($1.44 billion), developed nearly 300,000 test cells, and built a dedicated R&D team of more than 300 specialists, including 20 PhDs. This long-term investment has enabled the transition from laboratory research to scalable, mass-market solutions.
By combining industrial scale with technical innovation, CATL and CHANGAN are accelerating the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries. Their collaboration positions the technology not as an experimental alternative, but as a practical and competitive option for the next generation of electric vehicles.
