CHANGAN and CATL say a mass-production sodium-ion battery passenger car will launch by mid-2026, moving the chemistry closer to mainstream use alongside lithium-ion. For auto recyclers, it signals another high-voltage battery type entering salvage and ELV streams, raising the need for accurate identification, safe storage, compliant handling and clearer downstream recycling routes.
CHANGAN Automobile has unveiled what it describes as the world’s first mass-production passenger vehicle equipped with a sodium-ion battery, developed in partnership with CATL. The model is expected to reach the market by mid-2026, signalling that sodium-ion chemistry is moving beyond pilots and into mainstream vehicle platforms.
CATL will act as CHANGAN’s exclusive strategic partner for sodium-ion batteries, supplying its Naxtra sodium-ion cells across the OEM’s wider brand portfolio, including AVATR, Deepal, Qiyuan and UNI. The companies position the announcement as a step towards a “dual-chemistry” market, with sodium-ion intended to sit alongside lithium-ion to serve different performance and cost requirements.
Supply agreement and “dual-chemistry” strategy
For CHANGAN, the message is one of diversification: adding sodium-ion alongside established lithium-ion options to reduce reliance on specific raw materials and broaden the performance envelope of its EV offering.
CATL’s Gao Huan, CTO of CATL’s China E-car Business, said the move “marks the beginning of a dual-chemistry era”, adding that CATL would support CHANGAN’s strategy by bringing “safe, reliable, and high-performance sodium-ion technology to market”.
Technical claims: range, energy density and low-temperature performance
CATL says its Naxtra sodium-ion battery achieves energy density of up to 175 Wh/kg, which it describes as a benchmark for mass production. Using a Cell-to-Pack architecture and an “intelligent” battery management system (BMS), CATL claims the battery can enable a pure-electric range of more than 400 km.
The company adds that as the supply chain matures, sodium-ion could support 500–600 km ranges for pure EV variants, and 300–400 km for range-extended or hybrid configurations, figures it says would cover over half of typical range requirements in the “new energy vehicle” market.
CATL is also highlighting cold-weather performance, claiming nearly three times the discharge power of equivalent lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries at –30°C, more than 90% capacity retention at –40°C, and stable power delivery down to –50°C.
Safety positioning: abuse testing and pack robustness
In addition to temperature performance, CATL is pitching sodium-ion as a safety-led chemistry. It says the battery has been tested under crushing, drilling and sawing conditions, remaining “smoke and fire free” while continuing to provide power.
For operators handling damaged vehicles and high-voltage components, these claims are notable, but the practical implications will depend on how packs behave after real-world collisions, water ingress, deep discharge, and extended storage, which are common factors in the salvage and ELV chain.
Market outlook and infrastructure: scaling beyond a niche
Sodium-ion chemistry is often promoted on the basis of more abundant raw materials and the potential to reduce exposure to lithium supply constraints. CATL also points to environmental benefits in production and recycling, and argues sodium-ion can support supply chain diversification and lower carbon impacts.
Citing Precedence Research, the announcement notes the global sodium-ion battery market is forecast to grow from USD 1.39 billion in 2025 to USD 6.83 billion by 2034. CATL also says it plans to open more than 3,000 “Choco-Swap” battery swap stations across 140 cities in China by 2026, including more than 600 in colder northern regions.
R&D investment: from lab to mass production
CATL says it began sodium-ion research in 2016 and has invested nearly RMB 10 billion, developing close to 300,000 test cells. The company adds that it has more than 300 R&D personnel working on the chemistry, including 20 PhDs, as it pushes sodium-ion towards industrial-scale deployment.
Why this matters to auto recyclers
For vehicle recyclers and dismantlers, the key takeaway is that battery chemistry diversification is accelerating, and sodium-ion could become another mainstream stream to manage alongside NMC/NCA and LFP.
In practical terms, that has four implications:
- Identification and triage: Yards may increasingly see mixed chemistries arriving through salvage and ELV channels. Reliable battery identification (labels, pack codes, OEM data access) will become more important to avoid misclassification and incorrect handling routes.
- Handling and storage discipline: Regardless of safety claims, sodium-ion packs remain high-voltage systems. ATFs will still need robust isolation, quarantine procedures for damaged packs, compliant storage, and clear escalation processes.
- Downstream routing and value: Early volumes may have limited established routes for repair, second-life, or recycling, affecting pricing and turnaround times. Over time, a stable sodium-ion recycling chain could emerge, but it will need validated processes, specifications and buyers.
- Training and compliance: As new chemistries enter the market, operator training, documentation, and audit trails will matter more, particularly when insurers, OEM take-back schemes, and regulators require evidence of correct handling.
If CHANGAN and CATL deliver on a mid-2026 market launch and other OEMs follow, recyclers should expect sodium-ion packs to begin appearing in the vehicle recycling ecosystem over the next few years. The operators best placed to respond will be those investing now in chemistry-aware intake processes, traceability, and high-voltage handling procedures that work across a widening range of battery types.
Source www.catl.com/en
Further Reading on Auto Recycling World
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Embracing or evading end-of-life EVs
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Data sharing for circular end-of-life EV batteries
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EV battery recycling needs clear policy
