Sodium vs. Lithium: The Battery Battle

Lithium has long been the king of battery technology, powering everything from smartphones to electric vehicles. It boasts high energy density and a long lifespan, but it's not perfect. Lithium is pricey, not exactly abundant, and its extraction raises environmental red flags. Enter sodium, the underdog element that might just upset the balance of power and threaten to take the crown.

Unlike lithium, sodium is cheap, abundant, and doesn't need rare materials like cobalt or nickel. It makes up about 2.6% of the Earth's crust (and can even be sourced from seawater), so this could make sodium batteries cheaper and more sustainable to produce. But there’s a catch—sodium batteries aren't as energy-dense as lithium ones. They’re heavier and bulkier, which isn’t great if you're looking to power an electric car without making it weigh as much as a small truck (as if EVs aren't already heavy enough with some SUVs tipping the scale over 9,000 pounds!)

Having said that, the many advantages of sodium-ion battery (NIB) technology can and should open the door to widespread and more near-term adoption of NIBs for certain classes of EVs as well, including shorter-range cars, mini-cars, 3-wheeled vehicles, off-street vehicles (including golf cars, wheeled chairs, and others), and industrial vehicles (such as forklifts and warehouse product movers). 

While sodium may not yet be ready to take on lithium in applications where weight and space are critical, it shines in large-scale energy storage. For instance, storing energy from renewable sources like wind farms is more about cost and sustainability than size. Sodium batteries are right at home here.

Plus, sodium batteries are safer. They're less likely to overheat and cause the dramatic fires that lithium batteries sometimes do. So while your next smartphone may not have a sodium battery, your local power grid might.

Sodium isn’t ready to kick lithium off its throne just yet, but it's certainly stirring the pot. With its cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness, sodium might soon be giving lithium a run for its money—salt shaker not included.

Intertek is a global leader in battery testing and certification with labs available in North America, Europe, and China. Our experts help manufacturers ensure their energy storage technologies meet performance, reliability and safety criteria on all types of batteries and energy storage systems from tiny hearing aid button cells through multi-megawatt stationary installations and everything in between. For more information, visit www.intertek.com/batteries