Changan & HyperStrong: Why CATL is Betting on Sodium-Ion

CATL, the world's largest manufacturer of lithium-ion EV batteries, has signed an agreement with HyperStrong to build sodium-ion batteries. 

This comes alongside the company's announcement with Changan of the first mass-production passenger vehicle equipped with sodium-ion batteries.

What are sodium-ion batteries? 

Sodium-ion batteries are an emerging battery technology with potential cost, safety, sustainability and performance advantages over current commercialised lithium-ion batteries.

The Argonne National Laboratory says that sodium-ion batteries have a greater abundance of lower cost sodium and offer performance advantages at low temperatures. 

Before the technology can compete with existing batteries, developers must reduce cost.

This could be achieved by improving technical performance, establishing supply chains and achieving economies of scale.

CATL's agreement for sodium-ion batteries

HyperStrong and CATL announced a 3-year partnership with a total order volume of 60 GWh. HyperStrong is a Chinese provider of energy storage solutions, delivering more than 50 GWh of energy storage systems worldwide.

Making the announcement via X on 27 April, CATL said: “This collaboration signifies that CATL has successfully overcome the challenges across the entire mass-production chain of sodium-ion batteries, reaching full large-scale delivery capacity. 

“As the largest sodium-ion battery order globally to date, it marks the beginning of a new era for the mass commercialisation of the sodium-ion battery industry.”

CATL added: “As sodium-ion technology enters this expansion phase, CATL and HyperStrong will continue to deepen strategic synergy, driving high-quality growth in the energy storage industry and providing more resilient and diversified technical support for the global energy transition.”

CATL and Changan’s sodium-ion car

Chinese carmaker Changan Automobile recently announced the world's first mass-production passenger vehicle equipped with sodium-ion batteries. 

CATL is set to supply Changan’s advanced Naxtra sodium-ion batteries across its full brand portfolio, including AVATR, Deepal, Qiyuan and UNI. The first vehicle equipped with the technology is set to reach the market by mid-2026.

Gao Huan, CTO of CATL's China E-car Business, says: "The arrival of sodium-ion technology marks the beginning of a dual-chemistry era. CHANGAN's vision shows both its responsibility for energy security and its strategic foresight. 

“Much as it embraced electric vehicles years ago, CHANGAN is once again taking the lead with its sodium-ion roadmap.

"At CATL, we value the opportunity to work alongside such an industry leader and fully support its strategy, combining our expertise to bring safe, reliable and high-performance sodium-ion technology to market.”

CATL’s place in the battery market

CATL is the world's biggest supplier of lithium-ion EV batteries. 

Its focus on sodium-ion batteries could signal a future change in what CATL is expecting to be its core revenue driver in the coming years and decades. 

Despite this, its lithium-ion battery sales are incredibly strong. These rose to 661 GWh in 2025, up 39%, with CATL maintaining the world's largest power battery market share at 39.2% for the 9th consecutive year.

CATL’s revenue reached CNY423.7bn (US$62.1bn) in 2025, up 17% year on year, with net profit of CNY72.2 billion (US$10.58bn), an increase of 42%.

The company said in a statement accompanying its annual report that “sodium-ion batteries are expected to see wider adoption from 2026”.