Led by researchers from the Chinese language Academy of Sciences, HiNa’s aim is to commercialize sodium-ion expertise in an trade dominated by lithium. To ship that, it has constructed labs to develop its personal chemistries and factories to make cells at scale.
HiNa started mass manufacturing final yr, bringing two sodium-ion merchandise to market. One is a cube-shaped battery for storing electrical energy; it’s already powering commercial-scale power storage stations in China, together with one in Hubei Province that started operation in July 2024. The opposite product is a cylindrical battery already being utilized in electrical mopeds (that are ubiquitous in China) and different small automobiles.
In comparison with their lithium counterparts, sodium-ion batteries carry out higher in chilly environments and may cost quicker, however they’ve decrease power density. This implies a sodium-ion battery carries much less power than a lithium-ion battery of the identical dimension—an issue for automobiles, since meaning shorter vary.
HiNa says it would proceed to extend its merchandise’ power density by means of technological improvements, akin to through the use of more-efficient supplies for the cathode and anode and enhancing batteries’ construction. At present, the power density of its cube-shaped battery is 165 watt-hours per kilogram—round 80% of that of a lithium iron phosphate battery, the mainstream lithium battery in China.
Key indicators
- Trade: Vitality storage
- Based: 2017
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Notable truth: HiNa was based by Chen Liquan, a researcher on the Chinese language Academy of Sciences, and three of his college students, with help from the academy. Chen is dubbed “the daddy of Chinese language lithium batteries” for main a group that developed the nation’s first such cell three many years in the past. At 85, Chen nonetheless oversees HiNa’s analysis and growth with one of many college students—the corporate’s chairman, Hu Yongsheng.
Potential for influence
The worldwide sodium-ion market remains to be in its infancy, and its future is unsure, however HiNa’s endeavor has supplied a possible answer for the world to attain net-zero carbon emissions with out overly counting on a handful of important minerals, whose manufacturing has drawn environmental, humanitarian, and geopolitical considerations.
Within the power storage sector—sodium-ion batteries’ principal space of utilization—they’re anticipated to seize as much as 30% of the worldwide market by 2030. The 50-megawatt power storage plant in Hubei Province alone is projected to keep away from an estimated 13,000 tons of carbon dioxide yearly, which is roughly equal to eradicating about 3,000 gas-powered automobiles from the highway.
Caveats
HiNa faces an enormous query: Can sodium-ion batteries thrive commercially? Lithium-ion cells are projected to stay cheaper and extra highly effective within the foreseeable future. The unit value of sodium-ion batteries is presently about 60% increased than that of lithium ones, however their theoretical manufacturing value ought to ultimately be round a 3rd decrease than that of lithium-ion cells. Trade analysts say HiNa and different sodium-ion battery makers should be sure that prospects can get extra bang for his or her bucks to be able to create a market.
Chinese language lithium-battery behemoths are additionally making strikes into sodium, upping strain on specialist corporations like HiNa. CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, has mentioned it would mass-produce sodium-ion batteries for electrical automobiles by the top of this yr. In the meantime, EV big BYD is constructing an enormous manufacturing facility in japanese China devoted to creating sodium-ion cells.
Subsequent steps
HiNa’s plan is to concentrate on a number of submarkets. It says that sectors akin to heavy vehicles and power storage characterize big potential due to China’s large home market.
The corporate goals to launch a fast-charging sodium-ion battery that powers heavy vehicles this month. The battery can totally cost in simply 20 minutes, in keeping with HiNa. The function is predicted to be a draw for truck drivers, who can not afford lengthy pit stops.
