Sodium-ion battery breakthroughs may be key to our electric future

[RaXelliX]

Sodium-ion batteries have a lower voltage (2.5V) than lithium-ion batteries (3.7V), which means they may not be suitable for high-power applications that require a lot of energy to be delivered quickly.

They have a slower charge/discharge rate than lithium-ion batteries, which may not be suitable for applications that require a lot of power to be delivered quickly (such as electric vehicles).

Sodium-ion batteries still have limited charge cycles before the battery begins to degrade, and some lithium-ion battery chemistries (such as LiFeP04) can reach 10,000 cycles before degrading.

Also if im reading this right from Wikipedia Sodium weighs about 3x as much as Lithium. One of the biggest benefits of Lithium is that it's very lightweight compared to other battery technologies and this is especially crucial for mobile devices. I use Lithium AA battery in my mouse for this very reason compared to standard Alkaline AA.

 

[ZedRM]

Sodium Ion really is the best way forward from the disadvantages of Lithium Ion. Can't wait for an EV with Sodium Ion power cells.

 

[ZedRM]

Also if im reading this right from Wikipedia Sodium weighs about 3x as much as Lithium. One of the biggest benefits of Lithium is that it's very lightweight compared to other battery technologies and this is especially crucial for mobile devices. I use Lithium AA battery in my mouse for this very reason compared to standard Alkaline AA.

You're focusing on the wrong point. Lithium is a serious safely hazard, is expensive, difficult to manufacture, doesn't work well in extreme temps and is not easily recycled. Sodium is safe, much less expensive, easy to manufacture, works better at extreme temps and is much easier to recycle. The weight when compared to the other variables and factors is minor to the point of being nearly irrelevant.

 

[scavengerspc]

Sodium Ion really is the best way forward from the disadvantages of Lithium Ion.Can't wait for an EV with Sodium Ion power cells.

I still think this can easily be a major hazard.
Sodium causes serious water retention.

 

[Mark Fuller]

Given the consumption rate of oil worldwide, the finite oil supply surely won't last forever. Something has to come along to account for that or it's back to the stone age or maybe the horse and buggy days. But I do think there is other alternatives to EVs like hydrogen and alcohol, it's just that they also present there own set of problems that will have to be addressed like everything else that was ever made.