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Discover the New BYD Electric Vehicle, with a Surprisingly Affordable Price of Only R$ 60 Thousand. The Secret to This Competitive Price Lies in Its Innovative Sodium Battery, Which Not Only Offers Greater Safety but Also Improved Efficiency Compared to Traditional Lithium Batteries.
The electric car industry is increasingly seeking ways to develop cheaper batteries with faster charging and greater storage capacity, as this component is what makes electric models so expensive. With this in mind, China is focusing on developing a cheap sodium battery, with BYD launching the first electric car to use this component.
BYD Surprises the Market by Launching the First Electric Car with a Sodium Battery
Despite researchers claiming that these batteries are suitable only for stationary applications, the largest electric car manufacturer in China, BYD, surprises the market with its first electric car featuring a sodium battery.
Going much further, the giant plans to implement this new sodium battery technology across its entire range of electric cars, as it offers a significant advantage over lithium-ion batteries.
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When we look at the periodic table, we can see that sodium is next to lithium, having very similar physical and chemical properties; however, sodium is far more abundant, found in salt as sodium chloride, and is easier to extract and process.
Moreover, the extraction of this mineral is even less polluting than lithium extraction, which has negative environmental impacts. Additionally, the sodium battery used in BYD’s electric car is easier to recycle.
The price of lithium hydroxide has surged from US$ 6,800 to US$ 78,000 per metric ton, while sodium hydroxide is priced at US$ 800 per metric ton. Thus, the main advantage of the sodium battery lies in its impact on the final price of electric cars.
New Sodium Battery in BYD’s Electric Car Promises More Safety
As seen in the news, it is very common for electric cars with lithium batteries to catch fire almost instantly. This is a safety issue that sodium-ion batteries do not have.
However, this new component is a more direct competitor to LFP batteries, on which Tesla and other manufacturers are currently focusing. A CATL cites up to 160 Wh/Kg in first-generation sodium-ion cells, which is even higher than the first LFP pack Tesla used in the Tesla Model 3 in 2020.
Sodium batteries are superior to LFP batteries in two critical areas: They can be recharged much faster and are much more resistant to cold temperatures. While LFP batteries lose significant capacity in colder temperatures, sodium batteries maintain 90% of their capacity even at minus 20 ºC.
Meet BYD’s Electric Car with a Sodium Battery
One of the solutions to reduce production costs may have been found by BYD, which presented its electric car BYD Seagull in China, a compact car that will be sold for around R$ 60 thousand. The secret of the model is the sodium battery, which, as mentioned earlier, is a cheaper alternative.
BYD’s electric car will come with two motor options, 55 kW or 75 kW, and a range of up to 405 km. The compact’s maximum speed will be approximately 130 km/h. Sales began in China on July 18.
According to the Chinese media, BYD plans to equip all its cars priced below R$ 150 thousand with this type of component. The first concept, however, originated from a partnership between JAC and Volkswagen, which jointly develop electric cars.
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