(CATL)
South Korean battery majors are stepping up development of sodium-ion batteries, which are gaining attention as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries that involve high raw material supply chain risks.
According to battery industry sources on Tuesday, sodium-ion batteries have recently moved beyond the research and development stage and entered a full-scale commercialization phase, driven by major orders and increased investment.
Last month, China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL), the world’s largest battery maker, signed a contract to supply 60 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of sodium-ion batteries for energy storage systems (ESS) to Beijing HyperStrong Technology Co. over three years.
CATL also announced a capital increase plan worth about $5 billion, signaling its intention to expand investment in sodium batteries.
Sodium-ion batteries are mainly used in applications such as ESS and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for data centers, rather than in electric vehicles (EVs) where driving range is critical, due to their lower energy density.
Nevertheless, CATL plans to pursue the development of sodium-ion batteries for EVs through further technological advancements.
According to market research firm Future Market Insights, the sodium-ion battery market is valued at $2.9 billion this year and is expected to more than double to $6.2 billion in 2031.
Korea’s three major battery makers are also taking action.
LG Energy Solution Ltd. is expanding its applications centered on ESS to include the replacement of lead-acid batteries and 12V and 24V automotive batteries.
“Sodium batteries have strong potential in ESS applications where cost, lifespan, and safety are critical,” said a company official. “We are also reviewing their use as replacements for automotive auxiliary lead-acid batteries and in some EV segments.”
In particular, as the company is expanding its development personnel and conducting sample production and customer technical validation, the batteries are expected to be manufacturable using processes similar to those for lithium-ion batteries, sources said.
Samsung SDI Co. is taking a cautious approach while targeting the high-performance segment.
It is internally reviewing mass production plans for sodium batteries and has set the AI data center UPS market as a key target.
“We are reviewing plans for mass production of sodium batteries and may be able to announce them as early as next year,” said a Samsung SDI official. “They have advantages over lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in charging speed and output performance.”
The company believes sodium-ion batteries can fill gaps in the data center UPS market where existing batteries fall short, particularly in terms of safety, sources said.
SK on Co. is seeking a strategy to expand its ESS-centered portfolio.
It plans to diversify its business structure by adding sodium-ion batteries alongside LFP and vanadium-ion batteries (VIB).
“We are developing sodium-ion batteries for ESS, aiming to complete prototype development by 2027,” said an SK on official. “We are also expanding our business foundation through partnerships on secondary battery technology.”
However, since the technology is still in its early stages, some insiders point out that further advancement will take time.
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