Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia | February 5, 2026 – Changan Automobile and its exclusive strategic partner CATL have introduced the world's first mass-production passenger vehicle equipped with sodium-ion batteries. The debut occurred at the "Changan SDA Intelligence Milestone Release & Sodium-Ion Battery Global Strategy Launch" event, with market availability slated for mid-2026.

CATL will supply its advanced Naxtra sodium-ion batteries across Changan's full brand portfolio, including Avatr, Deepal, Qiyuan, and UNI. This launch signifies a major industry shift toward a dual-chemistry ecosystem, where sodium-ion and lithium-ion technologies work in tandem to address diverse market demands.

Advanced Cold-Weather Performance and Safety

The CATL Naxtra battery achieves a mass-production energy density benchmark of up to 175 Wh/kg. Its Cell-to-Pack system and intelligent BMS enable a pure-electric range exceeding 400 km. Future projections estimate ranges of 500–600 km for pure-electric models and 300–400 km for extended-range/hybrid versions, covering over half of market range needs.

The battery demonstrates exceptional performance in extreme cold, delivering nearly triple the discharge power of comparable LFP batteries at –30 °C. It maintains over 90% capacity at –40 °C and stable function down to –50 °C. Rigorous safety tests, including crushing and drilling, resulted in no fire or smoke while the cell continued to provide power.

A Strategic Move for Global Electrification

Sodium-ion technology offers benefits including material abundance, superior low-temperature operation, and greener production. These attributes help diversify supply chains and reduce carbon impact. The global sodium-ion battery market is projected to grow from USD 1.39 billion in 2025 to USD 6.83 billion by 2034.

Supporting wider adoption, CATL's battery design allows for deep adaptation across multiple vehicle platforms. Concurrently, CATL plans to deploy over 3,000 Choco-Swap battery swap stations across 140 Chinese cities by 2026, with more than 600 in colder northern regions, enhancing nationwide energy access.

A Decade of R&D Culminates in Market Readiness

CATL initiated sodium-ion research in 2016, investing nearly RMB 10 billion and producing approximately 300,000 test cells. A dedicated team of over 300 R&D personnel, including 20 PhDs, has built the foundation for safe, high-performance, and scalable production.

Through this partnership, CATL and Changan are transitioning sodium-ion batteries from laboratory innovation to mainstream automotive application, establishing them as a viable and complementary solution for electric mobility.