- Hithium launched its ∞Power N4.0MWh sodium‑ion energy storage system and plans full‑chain mass production and deliveries in 2027, pushing long‑duration storage adoption.
- The system uses in‑house ∞Cell N785Ah sodium‑ion cells rated 20,000 cycles and 30‑year design life, supporting 2–8 hour durations and compatibility with kAh lithium manufacturing lines.
- Targets utility‑scale rivals like CATL and BYD as sodium‑ion capacity expands, but cost of hard carbon, supply scaling and timely 2027 volume ramp pose execution risks.
Chinese energy storage battery maker Hithium launched its next-generation sodium-ion integrated energy storage solution, ∞Power N4.0MWh, on Sept. 16, with full-chain mass production and deliveries planned for 2027.
The system uses Hithium’s in-house-developed ∞Cell N785Ah sodium-ion battery cell, which delivers a cycle life of 20,000 cycles and a designed service life of 30 years. It supports long-duration energy storage applications ranging from 2 to 8 hours.
The new cell is also compatible with Hithium’s existing kAh-scale lithium battery manufacturing platforms and integrated production lines, allowing it to be introduced into the company’s established manufacturing system.
Yi Ziqi, director and chief technology officer of Hithium, said the company expects the new sodium-ion energy storage system to achieve a cost level comparable to lithium batteries when lithium carbonate prices are at RMB 150K/ton ($22.4K/ton). The company also aims to push electrochemical energy storage costs toward the “RMB 0.1 per kWh” era.
Sodium-ion batteries have gained attention due to their resource advantages and improving performance.
Compared with lithium batteries, sodium resources are more abundant and face less supply pressure. Sodium-ion batteries also offer better low-temperature stability, making them suitable for large-scale energy storage projects in colder regions.
For example, CATL’s TENER sodium-ion energy storage system delivers a cycle life of 15,000 cycles and a designed operating period of around 25 to 30 years. Its capacity retention exceeds 92% at temperatures as low as -20°C.
Cost reduction, however, remains the key factor determining whether sodium-ion batteries can achieve large-scale adoption.
Hard carbon anodes are currently one of the major cost drivers in sodium-ion battery production. Industry research estimates that hard carbon costs could fall from RMB 60K-70K/ton ($9.0K-$10.4K/ton) in 2024 to RMB 35K-40K/ton ($5.2K-$6.0K/ton) in 2026, with long-term targets below RMB 25K/ton ($3.7K/ton).
Companies across the supply chain are also working to overcome material bottlenecks.
Wanhua Chemical has invested in coal-based and resin-based hard carbon technologies to improve raw material supply stability. Ronbay Technology is advancing the mass production of sodium iron phosphate (NFPP) composite materials to further reduce costs for polyanion-based sodium-ion batteries.
The sodium-ion industry is also rapidly expanding its manufacturing footprint.
Data from the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) shows that 34 companies had announced 45 sodium-ion battery production bases nationwide as of July 2026, with total planned capacity reaching 293.7GWh. Operational capacity stood at 25.2GWh.
The sector is now moving from demonstration projects toward large-scale deployment. Among different technology routes, polyanion-based sodium-ion batteries currently lead planned capacity with 212.5GWh.
Leading battery makers are accelerating commercialization.
CATL has launched its TENER sodium-ion energy storage system and signed a three-year 60GWh sodium-ion battery supply agreement with HyperStrong. The company also signed a 5GWh memorandum of understanding with European energy storage provider Alfen and plans to deploy sodium-ion energy storage systems from 2027.
BYD achieved large-scale deliveries of sodium-ion energy storage systems in early 2025. EVE Energy is also developing sodium-ion technology based on its large-capacity energy storage battery platform, with mass deliveries expected by the end of 2026.
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