Overview
- CATL signed a three-year, 60 GWh sodium-ion supply deal with Beijing HyperStrong on Monday, billed as the largest order to date and making the integrator its first strategic partner for grid storage.
- CATL said the agreement proves it has solved mass-production hurdles for sodium-ion cells, including energy density limits and manufacturing issues such as foaming and moisture control.
- For energy storage, CATL lists a 300+ Ah sodium-ion cell at about 160 Wh/kg with 97% system efficiency and over 15,000 cycles, and says the cells match lithium-ion dimensions to ease installation.
- Following Tuesday’s HK$39.2 billion private placement in Hong Kong to fund overseas capacity, renewables projects, and R&D, CATL’s shares fell about 7% to 8%.
- Sodium relies on cheaper, more abundant raw materials and works across wider temperatures, which could cut the cost of backing up renewables and data centers if CATL meets its volume and performance targets.