China puts a sodium-ion battery into an EV for the first time — it can drive 248 miles on a single charge

A Chinese car manufacturer has unveiled the world’s first sodium-ion (Na-ion) electric vehicle (EV), opening the door to safer battery technologies and improved cold-weather performance.

The Changan Nevo A06 has been produced jointly by Changan Automobile and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), the world’s largest battery manufacturer.

Also known as the Qiyuan A06 in domestic markets, the car is the first mass-produced passenger vehicle with Na-ion batteries.

The Nevo A06 is powered by a 45 kilowatt-hour CATL Naxtra battery — the battery giant’s Na-ion product first announced in April 2025.

CATL representatives say the batteries inside the car can complete 248 miles (400 kilometers) on a single charge, with the cells packing an energy density of 175 watt-hours per kilogram.

Because Na-ion batteries can charge faster than lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, the Nevo A06 can also offer consumers an experience closer to that of filling up their vehicle with gasoline, with Changan representatives saying the Nevo A06 can charge to 80% in just 15 minutes.

To put that into perspective, it’s twice as fast as a Tesla Model Y can get to 80% on a 100 kilowatt, per data from the EV charging site Electra.

The Changan Nevo A06 is expected to launch in mid-2026 and is just the first of many Na-ion EVs expected on the market in the immediate future.

For example, BYD, which recently overtook Tesla to become the largest EV manufacturer in the world, began construction on a 30 gigawatt-hour Na-ion battery facility in Xuzhou, China in early 2024.

Na-ion cars are finally hitting the market

Na-ion batteries are an emerging technology that could dramatically lower the cost of battery manufacturing and improve battery safety, scientists say, versus conventional lithium-ion (Li-ion) alternatives.

Na-ion batteries are made from more widely-available sodium and they are more stable in operation. This makes them less prone to catching fire when damaged — a key safety feature for EVs.

Because Na-ion batteries are also more resistant to extreme temperatures — retaining much of their charge in temperatures well below freezing and far above the habitable range for humans — they offer better year-round EV performance and efficiency.

In its initial announcement for the Naxtra, CATL said the battery could operate at temperatures between -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius) to 158 degrees F (70 degrees C)), retaining 90% of its charge as usable electricity even at the lowest temperature.

In its announcement, as reported by CarNewsChina, Changan Automobile stated that the Nevo A06 retains three times more discharge capacity at -22 degrees F (-30 degrees C) than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries — a dominant battery technology in EVs and energy storage — at comparable capacities.

To date, Na-ion batteries have suffered from poorer capacity than Li-ion batteries, making them most useful for static use, such as in grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS).

However, with the introduction of vehicles such as the Changan Nevo A06, these assumptions are being challenged. Once Na-ion batteries are produced at a wider scale, drivers could enjoy EVs with better battery efficiency and that can operate in harsher climates.

This provides more benefits than simply taking cars further in colder climates. Think about the times you've run your car after it has been sitting on the cold driveway for a day or more.

For BESS, this also guarantees that grid storage won't suffer from massive decreases in efficiency during the winter months.