Breakthrough in sodium battery technology leads the wave of commercialization; 25 concept stocks report positive performance in 2025.

In the current era of accelerating transformation in the global energy landscape and heightened focus on resource security, sodium-ion batteries are making significant strides toward commercialization through technological breakthroughs and market validation. This trend is not only reflected in the translation of laboratory results but also in widespread attention from industry dynamics and capital markets.

Recently, the team led by Dr. Hu Yongsheng at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, published research in Nature Energy establishing a new benchmark for the safety performance of sodium-ion batteries. The team developed a self-protecting, polymerizable non-flammable electrolyte (PNE), which for the first time achieved a complete blockade of thermal runaway in an anode-level sodium-ion battery. Unlike traditional safety designs relying on flame-retardant electrolytes, PNE constructs a three-in-one protective system of “thermal stability—interfacial stability—physical isolation.” When the battery temperature exceeds 150°C, the electrolyte automatically solidifies to form a dense barrier, effectively cutting off the propagation path of thermal runaway. More notably, this safety breakthrough does not sacrifice battery performance—the battery remains stable across a wide temperature range from -40°C to 60°C, with a high-voltage tolerance exceeding 4.3V, and all materials used are mature industrial products, providing a solid foundation for industrialization.

The commercialization process of sodium-ion batteries is accelerating across the board. In terms of resource endowment, sodium is over 400 times more abundant in the Earth’s crust than lithium, and China’s self-sufficiency rate for sodium salts approaches 100%, giving it significant advantages in resource security and cost stability. Cost estimates show that as the industrial chain matures and scales, the overall cost of sodium batteries could be reduced by 30% to 40% compared to lithium batteries. Industry developments confirm this trend: in January 2026, CATL launched its first lightweight sodium-ion battery for commercial vehicles; in February, the world’s first sodium-ion battery-powered passenger car was unveiled and planned for market release within the year; on March 30, Boda New Energy’s 2GWh sodium-ion battery project in Harbin marked a key step toward industrial scaling. Li Shujun, general manager of Zhongke Haidai, revealed at the Industry Ecosystem Conference that by 2028, cell costs will drop to 0.3 yuan/Wh, and energy density will surpass 180Wh/kg.

The capital markets are also highly responsive. Although sodium-ion battery concept stocks have declined an average of 1.03% this year, six stocks including Baichuan Co., Ltd., and Wukuang New Energy have risen over 10% against the trend. Among them, Haiji New Energy, a subsidiary of Baichuan Co., has released finished sodium-ion batteries, and Wukuang New Energy’s ultra-low-cost poly-anion sodium cathode has entered the trial production stage at the kilogram level. Vico Technology, with its advantages of 160Wh/kg energy density and 6,000 cycle lifespan, has seen its stock price increase by 30%. In terms of performance, 25 concept stocks achieved year-on-year net profit growth, with eight companies including Penghui Energy and Wukuang New Energy turning losses into profits. Penghui Energy, utilizing dual technological routes of poly-anion and layered oxides, achieved first-generation sodium-ion commercialization delivery in 2023, with application cases in energy storage projects providing important industry references.

Driven by technological breakthroughs and industry deployment, sodium-ion batteries are reshaping the energy storage landscape. From electric vehicles to heavy trucks, from grid energy storage to distributed energy systems, their application scenarios continue to expand. As more companies join the technological race and capacity layout, this emerging sector is expected to carve out a differentiated development path under the dual constraints of resource security and cost control.