At present, the supply of lithium resources facing bottlenecks, lithium prices "can not afford to climb", theoretically have the cost advantage of lithium battery alternatives - sodium-ion battery by all sides of the market attention.

September 18, from the Ningde period to understand that the company's sodium-ion battery upstream industry chain will be completed next year, and complete production. Sodium ion batteries can be applied to both electric vehicles and energy storage power plants and other scenarios. Recently, the domestic power battery leader Ningde period in response to investor questions, said that efforts are being made to promote sodium ion batteries in 2023 to complete industrialization.

The reporter understood in the interview process, the current sodium-ion battery development is still in the early stages, has not yet entered the large-scale consumption and scenario-based applications. True lithium research chief analyst Mo Ke to, sodium ion battery development prospects are still uncertain. "Once the price of lithium iron carbonate back down, the relatively low energy density of sodium-ion battery cost-effective advantage can continue?"

Listed companies planning sodium battery category

"Sodium ion batteries are attracting attention, mainly due to the rise in the price of lithium battery raw materials, the rapid growth in demand for new energy vehicles and the continued progress of sodium ion battery technology and other factors." Zhongke sea sodium pioneer Tang Koon to.

Investors need to look at the sodium ion battery boom from a longer time dimension. Two years ago the price of battery-grade lithium carbonate was only 40,000 yuan / ton, and as of September 16, 2022, the price of battery-grade lithium carbonate rose to 50.25 million yuan / ton, an increase of 1156.25% in two years. Re-energy vehicle sales, 2022 January to August, China's new energy vehicle production and sales were completed 3.97 million units and 3.86 million units, an increase of 1.2 times and 1.1 times respectively. And the year 2020, China's new energy vehicle production and sales of 1.366 million and 1.367 million respectively.

At present, the lithium battery raw material prices up pressure layers of transmission, not only the terminal vehicle manufacturers feel the pressure, Ningde period and other battery consumption enterprises also feel the same.

Huatai Securities issued a research report, said in the context of lithium resources panic, sodium ion battery strategic significance. Compared to lithium batteries, sodium batteries electrochemical performance is more stable, the cost is lower; compared to lead-acid / full vanadium liquid flow batteries, sodium ion batteries are more cost-effective.

"Theoretically sodium-ion batteries have more cost advantages than lithium-ion batteries, and their cost is 20% to 30% lower than the cheapest lithium iron phosphate batteries, because sodium-ion batteries do not use rare precious metals." Tang Koon said to reporters.

From the point of view of the cost material structure, lithium-ion battery cathode material cost accounted for the highest, 43%; and sodium-ion battery cathode material cost accounted for only 26%.

As one of the earliest companies to enter the sodium battery category, as early as July 29, 2021, Ningde period released its first generation of sodium-ion batteries. According to the company at the launch, the battery cell single energy density reached 160Wh/kg; charging 15 minutes at room temperature, the power can reach 80%; -20°C low temperature environment, also has more than 90% of the discharge persistence rate. In addition, Ningde period also proposed a lithium-sodium hybrid battery pack application plan.

At the same time, the A-share listed company Huayang shares in the hands of the sodium planning sodium battery plate; sodium innovation energy, Peng Hui energy, Xin Wanda, China Great Wall and other enterprises have announced the planning of sodium battery category.

"Sodium ion battery technology after years of research and development, has entered the product introduction period." Tang Koon said in an interview with the "Securities Daily" reporter, but sodium ion batteries will not replace lithium-ion batteries, the two are more complementary relationship. Sodium ion battery is currently the application scene is two-wheeled electric vehicles and other short-distance electric category, because this part of the consumer group is more sensitive to the price; another application scene is not too high energy density requirements of the category, such as new energy access energy storage.

Industry insiders told reporters that although sodium ion batteries have obvious price advantages, but whether large-scale commercialization depends on product performance.

Industry development needs policy support

The market is more concerned about the "economy" of sodium ion batteries, whether this technical road can go through?

Huatai Securities issued a research report cited that the current sodium ion battery material cost of 2.3 yuan / Wh (pilot), it is estimated that under the scope of consumption, sodium ion battery forward theoretical cost can be reduced to 0.3 yuan / Wh to 0.4 yuan / Wh.

"The industrial chain of sodium ion batteries has not yet been fully constituted, failed to large-scale consumption, and various factors have caused the cost of sodium ion batteries has not been able to significantly reduce." Tang Koon told reporters that at the current stage, the maturity of sodium-ion battery technology is much lower than that of lithium battery technology, which still requires companies to actively invest in research and development. At the same time, this also means that sodium ion batteries still have a large space for upgrading and optimization. The initiative to give more policy support in the introduction of sodium-ion battery products in the early stage to accelerate the development of related technologies.

"In the next three to five years, sodium ion battery development enterprises are difficult to complete the profitability, more is the pursuit of technological leadership, and then in the scope of the manufacturing phase to complete the profitability." An industry insider who did not want to be named said to the "Securities Daily" reporter, "sodium ion batteries have a lot of imagination, but companies need to come up with a set of economic higher plan to enhance the profitability."

Cross-border need to be cautious

Flush data show that, as of September 16, A shares have a total of 36 sodium ion battery concept stocks, including listed companies from the majority of power equipment, in addition, pharmaceutical and biological, root chemical, media, mechanical equipment and other industries listed companies have also been cross-border planning sodium ion battery category.

For example, Chuangyi technology is mainly engaged in the design, research and development, manufacturing and sales of various types of input devices business. According to its citation, as of August 31, Chuangyi sodium electricity is in accordance with the progress of planning to stop the establishment and patent applications in an orderly manner. According to the plan, the first phase of the sodium ion battery project 2GWh capacity to be completed by the end of 2022 plant and pilot line establishment construction and product testing, and early 2023 to complete the production of 2GWh capacity. The second phase of 8GWh capacity, the company will be based on the subsequent sodium ion battery market and other conditions in due course to invest in equipment and production lines, and steadily promote the gradual expansion and release of sodium battery capacity.

Data show that the company's share price has increased by more than 300% since June 28, as of September 8.

However, whether there is a conscious investment in the category, the phenomenon of rubbing hot spots, worthy of attention. The project risk alert said that the project's consumption line has just been completed ready for production, the stability of the operation needs to be further enhanced, the project's practical rate of return by the future production capacity and market price factors, the project's rate of return there is uncertainty; sodium battery is a new technology products, market cultivation and development of uncertainty.

Mo Ke told reporters that, in general, a technology from laboratory research and development to industrialized consumption, the need to go through the "small test" "pilot" "mass production" three stages. "Small trial", that is, small batch consumption, to see the stability of the test products, "trial" is a higher level of consumption than "small trial", and mass production means that the stability of the product has been able to The stability of the product is able to support the large-scale consumption.

Tang Koon said to reporters, "sodium ion battery research and development needs the underlying technology accumulation, but also needs a longer period of time in the market to stop the test. The current capital attention is conducive to the development of the sodium ion battery industry chain, but the future also needs to prove with product quality. In the long run, as long as the real central competitiveness of sodium ion battery companies to survive in the fierce competition in the market."