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BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
How electric scooters are driving China's salt battery push
The country is racing ahead of the rest of the world in bringing sodium-ion batteries to the mass market. This time, through scooters. Dozens of glitzy electric mopeds are lined up outside a shopping mall in the city of Hangzhou in eastern China, drawing passersby to test them. But these Vespa-like scooters, which sell for between £300 and £500 ($400 and $660), are not powered by the mainstream lead-acid or lithium-ion cells, commonly used in electric two-wheelers. Instead, their batteries are made from sodium, an abundant element that can be extracted from sea salt. Next to the scooters stand a few fast-charging pillars, which can replenish the vehicles' power level from 0% to 80% in 15 minutes, according to Yadea, the major Chinese two-wheeler manufacturer holding this promotional event in January 2025 for its newly launched mopeds and charging system. There is also a battery-swapping station, which enables commuters to drop in their spent cells in exchange for fresh ones with a scan of a QR code. (Read more about China's battery swap stations for electric vehicles here.) Yadea is one of many companies in China trying to build a competitive edge in alternative battery technologies, a trend that shows just how fast the country's clean-technology industry is developing. Even as the rest of the world tries to close its gap with China in the race to make cheap, safe and efficient lithium-ion batteries, Chinese companies have already taken a head-start towards mass producing sodium-ion batteries, an alternative that could help the industry reduce its dependence on key raw minerals. Chinese carmakers were the first in the world to launch sodium-powered cars. But the impact of these models – all of them tiny with short ranges – has been low so far. In April 2025, the world's largest battery manufacturer, China's CATL, announced its plan to mass-produce sodium-ion batteries for heavy-duty trucks and cars this year under a new brand Naxtra. China's grid operators have also started to build energy storage stations using sodium-ion batteries to help the grid absorb renewables. This is an area considered by many researchers spoken to by the BBC as the main playground for the emerging technology. Chinese companies' multi-pronged strategy in driving sodium-ion batteries will put it in a leading position of a global race – should there be one, says Cory Combs, who researches critical minerals and supply chains at Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China. He says it remains to be seen whether sodium-ion batteries will really take off. But one segment that is betting big on sodium-ion batteries is the two-wheeler, a fast-growing and highly competitive market in China. Yadea has brought three sodium-powered models to the market so far and is planning to launch more. It has also established the Hangzhou Huayu New Energy Research Institute to research emerging battery chemistries, particularly sodium-ion. "We want to bring technology from the lab to customers fast," Zhou Chao, the company's senior vice president, said in January during a talk show on China Central Television in January. Cue the 'little electric donkey' Two-wheelers are an extremely popular mode of transport in many Asian countries, including Vietnam and Indonesia. In China, they are ubiquitous, carrying their owners to shops, offices, metro stations and everywhere in between. Because they are practical and versatile, the Chinese have given them an endearing nickname: "little electric donkeys". "Two-wheeled vehicles typically operate over shorter distances and at lower speeds [than cars], making them less demanding in terms of energy density and power output," says Chen Xi, who researches energy storage materials and devices at Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University in China. A sodium-ion battery carries significantly less energy than a lithium-ion battery of the same size, which means it has a lower energy density. For two-wheelers, sodium-ion batteries' main rivals are lead-acid ones, whose energy density and rechargeable cycles are even lower. Their only advantage is that they are cheaper than both sodium and lithium-ion batteries currently, Xi says. The sheer number of two-wheelers in Asia paves a promising pathway to achieving economies of scale. In China alone, around 55 million electric two-wheelers were sold in 2023 – nearly six times the number of all pure, hybrid and fuel-cell electric cars combined sold in the country that year – according to Shanghai-based consultancy iResearch. Scale production was the goal of Yadea. Zhou said at the talk show that the firm was seeking to bring sodium batteries to tens of millions of ordinary commuters by not only fitting them into two-wheelers, but also building a charging ecosystem to enable people to use these models without stress. To test the waters, in 2024 Yadea began a pilot programme with 150,000 food delivery couriers working in Shenzhen, a mega city of 17.8 million people in southern China, reported Shenzhen News. The goal was to enable them to hand in a spent Yadea sodium-ion batteries at its partners' battery-swapping stations in exchange for a fully charged one within 30 seconds, Yadea said. Yadea and other companies, such as battery-swapping firm Dudu Huandian, have grown so rapidly in Shenzhen the city now aims to become a "battery-swapping city". It aims to install 20,000 charging or swapping pods for various types of batteries for electric scooters in 2025, and 50,000 by 2027, according to Shenzhen Electric Bicycle Industry Association, a trade body that is working with the Shenzhen government to promote battery swapping. The city – which already has a "battery-swapping park" – will build a vast network of battery swapping facilities to enable residents to find a station every five minutes, the trade body says. Boom and bust Sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries have similar structures. The main difference is the ions they use – the particles shuttling back and forth between a battery's positive and negative sides to store and release energy. Sodium is widely dispersed in the sea and the Earth's crust, making it about 400 times more abundant than lithium. Sodium-ion cells are therefore more accessible and potentially cheaper to produce at scale. They could also free the battery industry from choking points in current supply chains. Lithium ore is currently predominantly mined in Australia, China and Chile, but the processing of the mineral is concentrated in China, which has nearly 60% of the world's lithium-refining capacity. Sodium-ion batteries are not a recent invention. Their fate has been intertwined with that of lithium-ion batteries. The research and development of both cells began about half a century ago, with Japan leading the global effort. But after Japanese electronics company Sony launched the world's first lithium-ion battery in 1991, its huge commercial success led the development of sodium-ion technology to be largely paused – until the beginning of this decade. By then, China had become the dominant battery force worldwide through years of an industrial push by the government. More like this:• Where EV batteries go to die – and be reborn• The batteries made from cement• Renewable energy's trouble with 'wind theft' 2021 proved to be a turning point for sodium-ion batteries. The global prices for battery-grade lithium skyrocketed, multiplying over fourfold in a year due to strong demand for electric vehicles (EV) and the Covid-19 pandemic. Battery and EV manufacturers began to look for alternatives. CATL launched its first-ever sodium-ion battery in July that year, and the move "triggered high industry interest", says Phate Zhang, founder of the Shanghai-based EV news outlet CnEVPost. Lithium's prices continued to soar in 2022, driving more cost-conscious Chinese companies towards sodium, he notes. "The relative abundance of sodium and China's interest in a resilient battery supply chain has been a central factor in driving research and development efforts," says Kate Logan, a director at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington DC who focuses on China's climate and clean energy policies. Around the time of the mineral's price hike, the country imported roughly 80% of the lithium ore it refined, mainly from Australia and Brazil. But the price of lithium started to plunge in late 2022 and is at a fraction of its peak level today. One reason is that major Chinese battery makers such as CATL and Gotion have expanded their lithium-processing capacity, Zhang says. China has also boosted efforts to find and develop domestic lithium reserves. As a result, the "frenzy" around sodium-ion in the last couple of years has "relaxed", Combs notes. "Lithium is pretty squarely back in the leadership role again within China." Seeking safety For many, though, there are other good reasons to take up sodium-ion batteries. One is safety. In 2024, China was shocked by a wave of battery fires, mostly triggered by the self-combustion of lithium-ion batteries in two-wheelers. Globally, fire risks at energy storage stations have become a concern. In a recent example, a blaze broke out at one such facility inside a major battery plant in California in January 2025. Some industry insiders believe that sodium-ion batteries are safer. They are less prone to overheating and burning compared to lithium-ion ones because sodium's chemical traits are more stable, according to some studies. But others warn that it is still too early to be certain about their safety due to a lack of relevant research. Cold weather also makes a difference. The energy a lithium-ion battery can store and the times it can be recharged drop at sub-zero temperatures. Sodium-ion batteries are less affected by harsh conditions. "Compared to lithium ions, sodium ions move more easily through the liquid inside the battery. This gives them better conductivity and means they need less energy to break free from the surrounding liquid," says Tang Wei, a professor of chemical engineering at China's Xi'an Jiaotong University. Tang and his team have developed a new type of battery liquid they say can enable sodium-ion batteries to achieve more than 80% of their room-temperature capacity at −40C (-40F). They are working with Chinese battery firms to apply the technology onto vehicles and energy storage stations in the country's cold regions. Sodium-ion batteries are also expected to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing the metals used in lithium-ion cells, particularly cobalt and nickel – heavy metals that can negatively impact humans and nature. A 2024 study concluded that sodium-ion batteries can help the world avoid excessive mining and possible depletion of critical raw materials, but that the production process generates similar volumes of greenhouse gas emissions to lithium-ion cells. As these batteries are still being developed, "their production processes, lifespans and energy density can all be improved", says Zhang Shan, the study's lead author and a researcher at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. "Their impact on the climate may be lower than that of lithium-ion batteries in the future." Fuelling four-wheelers Two of the earliest electric cars powered by sodium batteries rolled off the assembly lines in December 2023. So far, all available models have been "microcars", officially classified as A00 in China. But their sales only made up a tiny number of the tens of millions of EVs sold in 2024 in China, says Xing Lei, an independent analyst of the Chinese auto industry (one report found just 204 were sold in 2024). A big downside of sodium-ion batteries is their low energy density: a 2020 study found it is at least 30% lower than their lithium counterparts. This means cars using them typically cannot travel very far on a single charge, Zhang says. "And range is a big deciding factor for people when they buy an EV." Sodium-ion batteries have yet to achieve mass production and currently "cannot compete with lithium-ion batteries on price or performance" in four-wheelers, making large-scale use in the next two or three years difficult, says Chen Shan, a Shanghai-based analyst on battery markets at Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy. The uptake of sodium scooters across China has been gradual but encouraging. A spokesperson from Yadea – which sold more than 13 million electric bikes and mopeds globally in 2024 – told the BBC that the sales of its sodium two-wheelers reached nearly 1,000 in the first three months of 2025. The company intends to build around 1,000 fast-charging pillars specifically designed for sodium-ion batteries this year in Hangzhou enabling commuters to find a station every 2km (1.2 miles), Zhou said at the talk show. Yadea is not alone in its sodium push. Another Chinese scooter manufacturer, Tailg, has been selling sodium-powered models since 2023. FinDreams, the battery arm of EV major BYD, is building a plant in east China's Xuzhou to make sodium batteries in partnership with Huaihai Group, a manufacturer of two and three-wheelers, according to local media. Although lead-acid batteries will continue to dominate this industry, the market share of sodium-ion batteries has been projected to grow rapidly over the next five years. By 2030, 15% of China's electric scooters will be powered by them, compared to 0.04% in 2023, according to an analysis by the Shenzhen-based Starting Point Research Institute, which assesses China's battery industry. Greening the grid In fact, a bigger market for sodium-ion batteries may be energy storage stations, which absorb power produced at one time so it can be used later. When they are installed in fixed locations, the disadvantages of using sodium-ion batteries in vehicles disappear. "You can just make a slightly bigger energy storage plant. It's not moving anywhere. The weight [of the batteries] doesn't matter," Combs says. Energy storage is expected to be an enormous and a rapidly growing market as countries across the globe aim to reach their climate goals. The world's grid-scale energy storage capacity will need to grow nearly 35-fold between 2022 and 2030 if it is to achieve net-zero by 2050, according to International Energy Agency (IEA). "This is going to be a really important market in the future, especially as renewables become more present on the grid. You'll have more need for storage systems to balance out the variability in electricity generation, " says Ilaria Mazzocco, a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington DC-based non-profit. Using sodium-ion batteries in energy storage stations also means that these facilities are not competing with auto companies for batteries, she notes. China, which has seen breakneck growth of wind and solar power plants, leads the world in using energy storage to support renewables. In May 2024, it switched on its first energy storage station powered by sodium-ion batteries. Situated in southern China's Guangxi, the plant can hold 10 megawatt-hours of power in one go, equivalent to the daily electricity needs of 1,500 households, according to Chinese state media. It is the first phase of a sodium-ion energy storage station 10 times its size. The Guangxi project was quickly followed by another sodium-ion energy storage site in central China's Hubei province. In fact, roughly one-fifth of the capacity of all energy storage projects planned by China's state-run companies last year used sodium technology, according to Chinese outlet Beijixing, which tracks the power industry. But for sodium-ion batteries to succeed in mass production the main question is whether companies can make them cheaper than lithium-ion cells, according to Zheng Jiayue, a consultant with research and consulting firm Wood Mackenzie who specialises in the energy storage supply chain. Currently, the unit price of sodium-ion batteries for energy storage is about 60% higher than that of lithium-ion ones, but the gap is projected to narrow, China Central Television reported, citing analysis by the China Energy Storage Alliance, a Beijing-based non-profit. China to lead the charge Some entrepreneurs and researchers believe that sodium is a shortcut for other countries to reduce their battery dependence on China. But it is Chinese companies that are poised to lead global production if the technology breaks into the mass market. Major Chinese battery makers have included it in their strategies to stay competitive in the long run, says Combs, meaning sodium-ion batteries are no longer a way to bypass their stronghold. The "biggest difference" between companies in China and other countries is that the former can bring a technology from the lab to mass production much faster, Zheng says. And because of the similarities between the two types of cells, says Logan, existing manufacturing infrastructure for lithium-ion batteries can be adapted to produce sodium-ion batteries, reducing the time and cost for commercialisation in China. "The same synergies don't necessarily hold true for other battery chemistries," however, she adds. One example is the all-solid-state batteries, which do not use liquid electrolyte to transport ions, the principle driving the current generation of batteries, says Mo Ke, founder and chief analyst of Beijing-based battery-research firm, RealLi Research. Therefore, it will have less reliance on the current industrial chain, Mo says. A fleet of large factories devoted to making sodium-ion cells are now being built in China, some already in operation. In 2024, Chinese manufacturers announced plans to build 27 sodium-ion battery plants with a combined capacity of 180 GWh, according to Chinese thinktank Gaogong Industrial Research, including BYD's upcoming 30GWh plant in Xuzhou. The planned global sodium-ion battery capacity will exceed 500 GWh by 2033, and China is projected to account for more than 90% of that, Zheng says, citing Wood Mackenzie analysis. Outside China, Natron Energy in the US and Faradion in the UK are forerunners. But it typically takes foreign companies much longer to build production lines and it will be hard for their capacities to compete with China's, Zheng says. In 2023 alone, Chinese firms collectively spent more than 55 billion yuan (£5.7bn, $7.6bn) on the research and development of sodium-ion batteries, according to Alicia García Herrero, an economist and senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel. This beats the $4.5bn (£3.4bn, $4.5bn) raised by all US battery start-ups cumulatively by 2023 on non-lithium battery solutions, she says. Chinese companies' incentive is simple, according to Combs: "Don't lose market share, and future markets are included." Yadea is already expanding operations in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, where electric scooters are also popular, Zhou said in the talk show. Yadea's goal is clear: to mass-produce sodium-ion batteries and improve scooter charging infrastructure, according to Zhou, "so as to enable hundreds of millions of people to enjoy green transport". -- For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Bloomberg
19-05-2025
- Science
- Bloomberg
China's Path to Deeper Carbon Cuts Hinges on Next-Gen Tech
China's carbon emissions are dropping as wind and solar power flood its grid, but new breakthroughs will be needed to keep the energy transition on track in the world's largest polluter, according to new research. Emissions have fallen by 1% since March 2024 after record renewables growth crowded out fossil fuels in meeting new electricity demand, according to the Centre for Research on Clean Air and Energy. While the country has seen short-term declines before, this is the first time it's been driven primarily by clean energy, according to researcher Lauri Myllyvirta.
The National
12-05-2025
- Business
- The National
UAE water tech start-up wins praise at Expo 2025 in Osaka
Manhat, a UAE start-up dedicated to sustainable water and floating farm solutions, has been honoured at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, receiving the Best Practices Award. It is one of 25 start-ups from around the world to win the award celebrating endeavours tackling global challenges. The water-technology start-up's story is being showed in the best practices area of the global exhibition, and the company will also have the opportunity to participate in a larger event focused on sustainability solutions taking place in July. 'We are deeply honoured to represent the UAE on this global stage,' said Emirati founder Saeed Alhassan, an engineering professor at Khalifa University. 'This recognition reflects years of deep tech research and a strong belief in nature-based solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems.' Vishnu Vijayan Pillai, co-founder of Manhat, called the award a milestone for the company and a significant moment for the UAE on the sustainable innovation stage. 'Being selected as one of the world's Best Practices at Expo 2025 gives us a powerful global platform to share our mission of providing clean water solutions in harmony with nature,' he said. In 2022, Manhat announced that it had created a device using proprietary technology to generate fresh water from the ocean without using electricity, addressing a major hurdle as the Arabian Gulf seeks ways to ensure water and food security. 'Water basically evaporates from the bottom side,' Mr Alhassan told The National in a previous interview, explaining the device. 'And then it goes up and it fills this sphere, and when the night comes and the temperature drops, then the water condenses inside and gets collected in this reservoir here.' Mr Alhassan emphasised that the desalination methods used by regions with water scarcity are often energy intensive, and in some cases, have the potential to create more pollution. He is working to manufacture Manhat's devices in a way that gets them to a better price point and eventually makes them accessible to the masses. While it fine-tunes its prototypes and works on other potential water solutions, Manhat has also filed patents for floating farm solutions that integrate the company's devices that will allow for the production of food even if sea levels continue to rise as a result of climate change. Amid concerns about climate change, particularly in regions where rain is scarce and importing water costly, water innovations have offered a glimmer of hope for long-term solutions that might prevent major problems and even bolster crop security. According to the UN, of the 17 most water-stressed countries in the world, 11 are in the Middle East and North Africa, making it one of the most affected regions in the world.
Sustainability Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Sustainability Times
'World Calls on China to Lead': Urgent Climate Demands Escalate Ahead of Pivotal Global Sustainability Transition Conference
IN A NUTSHELL 🌍 China is positioned to lead global climate action with its dominance in clean technology and international influence. is positioned to lead global climate action with its dominance in clean technology and international influence. 🔍 The importance of transparency and community involvement in China's climate investments is crucial for lasting impact. and community involvement in China's climate investments is crucial for lasting impact. 🤝 The Bath conference aims to foster global collaboration and innovation in sustainability and climate change. aims to foster global collaboration and innovation in sustainability and climate change. 🔗 Building inclusive partnerships with developing nations is key to China's effective leadership in the global sustainability transition. China stands at a crucial juncture in its climate leadership journey. As the world grapples with increasing environmental challenges, Dr. Yixian Sun emphasizes China's potential role in spearheading global efforts towards sustainability. Ahead of a pivotal conference at the University of Bath, experts are calling for decisive action from China to leverage its technological prowess and influence for a sustainable future. The conference, set for June 24-25, 2025, aims to explore the multifaceted opportunities and challenges that China faces in its quest to lead the global sustainability transition. China's Technological Edge and Global Influence Dr. Sun highlights that China is the world's largest producer of renewables, batteries, and electric vehicles. This technological edge positions China uniquely to supply clean technologies affordably on a global scale. As countries look to transition away from fossil fuels, China's manufacturing capabilities could play a critical role in making renewable energy more accessible worldwide. Moreover, China's growing influence in international climate negotiations presents an opportunity to shape global climate policies and actions. However, technological leadership alone is insufficient. To truly lead, China must enhance its domestic climate policies and extend its influence through international collaboration, especially with developing nations. Despite its advancements, China's journey towards becoming a climate leader is still nascent and requires a robust framework that combines technology with policy. The conference in Bath will act as a catalyst for discussions on how China can integrate its technological capabilities with strategic policy measures to drive global climate action effectively. China Unveils Its Military Mega-Project: Satellite Images Reveal Construction of the Largest Military Hub on Earth Spanning Over 1,000 Acres Challenges of Transparency and Global Engagement While China has made significant investments in clean energy and disaster recovery projects, estimated at US$24.5 billion, transparency and community involvement remain critical challenges. Dr. Sun argues that for these investments to have a lasting impact, Beijing must provide clearer information on funding allocations and project financing. This transparency is crucial not only for building trust with international partners but also for ensuring that resources are used effectively. Furthermore, China's engagement with the Global South presents both opportunities and challenges. Supporting developing nations in their climate efforts is essential for comprehensive global progress. However, this support must be inclusive, addressing the specific needs of these nations while considering local contexts and communities. The upcoming conference will delve into these issues, exploring ways to enhance transparency and foster inclusive international partnerships. China's Record-Breaking 620-Mile Hybrid Electric Pickup Stuns Drivers With 6.5-Second 0-62 MPH Acceleration and Game-Changing Power The Role of the Bath Conference in Shaping Climate Action The upcoming Bath conference on China and Global Sustainability Transition is poised to be a landmark event, bringing together experts from academia, civil society, and governments. This gathering aims to facilitate rigorous, science-based discussions and build a global network for knowledge exchange. As Dr. Sun points out, inclusive and strong cooperation is crucial for addressing the planetary crisis we face today. By providing a platform for open exchanges, the conference seeks to fast-track innovation and offer fresh approaches to global climate challenges. It will also serve as an opportunity for researchers to engage with international partners and contribute to meaningful policy impacts. This collaborative approach is vital for rethinking how major powers like China can accelerate their climate action efforts. China Approves 10 Nuclear Reactors for 2025: Massive Energy Push Signals Global Power Shift in Atomic Race Building a Sustainable Future Through Collaboration Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bath, underscores the importance of open exchanges in driving innovation. These interactions are expected to yield new solutions to the pressing climate issues of our time. Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh of the Bath Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change echoes this sentiment, highlighting the conference's potential to foster significant policy impacts through international collaboration. As the world stands on the brink of a sustainability transition, China's role cannot be understated. The Bath conference offers a timely opportunity to explore how China can leverage its strengths and work with global partners to meet climate goals. The question remains: how will China harness its technological prowess and policy influence to lead the world towards a more sustainable future? Did you like it? 4.4/5 (21)
