China’s CATL tests EVs – and lithium’s dominance – with pioneering sodium-ion battery

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Themis QiFebruary 5, 2026 at 08:00 AM

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CATL, a leading Chinese battery manufacturer, has begun testing its new sodium-ion (Naxtra) batteries in Changan Automobile Group EVs in Inner Mongolia. This marks the world's first deployment of sodium-ion batteries in passenger vehicles. Changan plans to integrate CATL's sodium-ion batteries across its entire brand portfolio. The move aims to provide greater resilience, a wider operating temperature range, and more sustainable growth to electrification amid lithium price volatility. Changan will also test its Avatr 12 model in Antarctica within the next 18 months.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Antarctica 30% Deepal 40% Avatr ×240% Uni 40% Qiyuan 40% Tan Benhong ×250% Inner Mongolia ×250% Gao Huan 60% China Changan Automobile Group ×270% China ×280% Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) ×490%

Keywords

sodium-ion battery 80% catl 80% electric vehicle (ev) 70% china ev market 70% operating temperature range 60% lithium-ion battery 60% sustainable growth 50%

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Positive

Score: 0.40

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South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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sodium-ion battery catl electric vehicle (ev)china ev market operating temperature range lithium-ion battery sustainable growth

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