While electric vehicles have dominated the automotive industry, there has been a battle between two resources, that being hydrogen and lithium, all in the name of creating clean fuel resources in an evolving world aiming to go green. However, while both of these resources have been praised for their eco-friendliness, China just walked in with something interesting, something perceived as a “magical chemical”. It is not surprising; China always ensures it tries new things, and if it works, it will tell the world about it. However, this new element needs a bit of time for us to feel secure about it.
The EV market and how it began using lithium and hydrogen
Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) have been in existence for more than three decades; however, it was until 2008 that Tesla showed the industry how it is done and they became popular and one of the main resources for EV battery materials. Lithium was trusted by many automakers and the industry grew wider and today we talk of a variety of electric vehicle brands globally.
Hydrogen, on the other hand, has been around for a very long time, and one of its key attractions is how clean it is, green hydrogen, to be specific. When burnt, it emits water, and because the goal of creating a green environment has long been there, hydrogen was seen to play a significant role in stimulating clean fuels and eradicating fossil fuels.
China is testing something other than lithium or hydrogen
China is testing a new ‘chemical, magical’ element. It is called sodium, and there are two brands that have gone under development in China with the use of sodium-ion batteries. JMEV and Yiwei are producing the two tiny electric car types. They were both manufactured in 2023, and China saw it fit to use something different and unique from what we have already been accustomed to.
China moving to sodium is not just a decision or a coincidence; there are many reasons, but I will speak of one. While lithium has played a role in manufacturing and developing EVs, computers, and phones, scalability has reduced, and prices skyrocketed. Today, the demand for those items I mentioned is very high. Therefore, there is resource scarcity and what better way to find an alternative?
The undiscovered potential of sodium: Inexpensive, plentiful, and quite effective
Sodium is not just another resource but a unique one. It is abundant and can be found in its fullness on planet Earth. Additionally, engineers and outsourcers have discovered that it is also inexpensive and quite effective. In case you were not aware, China has already started with sodium-ion EV productions in large quantities. They believe in it.
Underlying issues related to sodium
So, we spoke of all the good things, but the question here is, are sodium batteries worth the hype or worth the environment? Two strong concerns that researchers have expressed:
- Poor energy density results in a reduction for cars to travel long distances.
- There is a narrow gap when it comes to sodium adoption in the industry.
While there could be some hiccups along the way, sodium might cause us to part ways with lithium and hydrogen, or maybe just become an alternative. Since it is in its infant years, it is too early to predict whether it will take over hydrogen and lithium. It is important to note that some of the problems that lithium has faced are similar to those of sodium, and perhaps that is why there is no rush or race to execute it yet until researchers can provide a green light to see whether it is worth the investment. Sodium-ion batteries do show a promising fuel alternative, but more research is needed, though.
