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CATL’s Sodium-Ion EV Battery Targets Extreme Cold as Changan Prepares First Mass Model

Claims of reliable subzero charging target expansion into China’s cold regions where EV uptake lags.

Overview

  • Winter trials in Inner Mongolia and Mongolia reported normal charging around −30°C, operation down to −50°C, and more than 90% capacity retention at −40°C. Changan’s Nevo A06 is slated to be the first mass-produced passenger EV with CATL’s sodium-ion pack in China by mid-2026, using a 45 kWh battery rated at over 400 km on the CLTC cycle.
  • CATL engineer Ouyang Xiaolong said the Naxtra chemistry can function in environments such as Antarctica, citing tests conducted at −50°C.
  • Analysts highlight advantages in low-temperature performance, safety and materials availability, alongside current drawbacks in energy density and cycle life versus lithium-ion.
  • Independent, real-world validation and wider international rollout are still pending, with CATL positioning sodium-ion to complement rather than replace lithium-ion across use cases.