Electric car Changan Nevo A06: Launch of mass-produced sodium battery

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The Chinese car manufacturer Changan Automobile is reportedly set to be the first to use a sodium-ion battery in a mass-produced electric car. The supplier for these batteries is one of the largest manufacturers of traction batteries, CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited), also from China, with global customers in the automotive industry, including Tesla and Toyota. CATL will continue to develop sodium-ion batteries as a “second pillar” alongside lithium-ion technology, as the company announced at the end of 2025, and aims to reduce its dependence on the volatility of lithium prices.

Replacing Critical Raw Material

In cell chemistry, sodium can replace the critical raw material lithium. Because sodium is also abundant worldwide and easy to extract, it has the potential to significantly lower the price of batteries in the long term. The idea is not new and was already presented by CATL as a business model in 2021. After renewed roller-coaster rides in the price of lithium carbonate and regulatory interventions by the Chinese government, it is attractive again today. One disadvantage of sodium-ion batteries is their lower energy density, which is why they have so far been considered a possible solution for stationary storage or, at best, commercial vehicles with more space for a larger battery.

Nevertheless, the first sodium-ion battery for the first hoped-for mass production in a mobile application now appears in a passenger car. Changan presented it in a Changan Nevo A06 at the “Changan SDA Intelligence Milestone Release & Sodium-Ion Battery Global Strategy Launch.” The 4.88 m long sedan with a 2.92 m wheelbase is scheduled to be sold from mid-year with a 45 kWh sodium-ion battery, initially in its home market.

Range of Nearly 330 Kilometers

At CATL, this battery line is called “Naxtra” and is expected to offer a range of over 400 km in the Changan A06 according to the Chinese CLTC standard, which would be about 328 km according to WLTP. Currently, the Changan Nevo A06, introduced in November 2025, offers a range of 510 and 630 km in CLTC with two different lithium batteries.

CATL promises that thanks to cell-to-pack system integration with a cell energy density of up to 175 Wh/kg, it will reach the level of current lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. The advantage over LFP cell chemistry, however, is said to be its ability to charge down to minus 30 °C and up to three times higher capacity in cold weather. Whether the cells need to be heated for this is not clear from the press release.

According to Changan, its winter tests have confirmed these advantages. For example, at minus 30 °C, the battery's capacity is said to be almost three times higher than that of comparable lithium iron phosphate batteries. The battery is said to retain 90 percent of its capacity at minus 40 °C and remain usable down to minus 50 °C. To demonstrate this cold resistance as an advantage, Changan held the presentation in bitter cold.

Robust and Affordable

Further advantages include a long lifespan of over 10,000 charging cycles and production costs around 30 percent lower than those for LFP cells. CATL states a fast charging rate of up to 5C for the Naxtra batteries, which can shorten the charging time from 10 to 80 percent to 15 to 20 minutes. CATL also promises high operational and accident safety for its Naxtra battery. For instance, in tests, even under “extreme abuse,” including mechanical destruction while fully charged, there was neither smoke nor fire, let alone an explosion. As CATL writes, Naxtra is the first to meet the strict Chinese safety regulations for corresponding energy storage systems. After its first series application, the battery manufacturer plans to launch versions with an electric range of up to 600 km soon. Changan Automobile plans to adopt the technology soon in its other brands Avatr, Deepal, Nevo, and Uni. Changan is represented in the German market with Deepal in two versions.

(fpi)