![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() BYD plans to progressively integrate Na-ion batteries into all its models below USD 29 000 as battery production ramps up. To compare, the Wuling Mini BEV’s range stands at 170 km, but BYD’s Dolphin BEV, the second best-selling small BEV in China in 2022, with a similar range to the announced Na-ion cars, can cost more than USD 15 000. While these first models are likely to be slightly more expensive than the cheapest small BEV models in China – such as the Wuling Mini BEV, sold for as little as USD 5 000 to 6 500 – they are still cheaper than equivalent options with similar driving range. Multiple carmakers have already announced Na-ion electric cars, such as the Seagull by BYD, which has an announced range of 300 km and is sold for USD 11 600 (with possible discounts bringing the price down to USD 9 500), and the Sehol EX10, produced by the VW-JAC joint venture, with a 250 km range. For comparison, the current manufacturing capacity of Li-ion batteries is around 1 500 GWh. There are nearly 30 Na-ion battery manufacturing plants currently operating, planned or under construction, for a combined capacity of over 100 GWh, almost all in China. This could make Na-ion relevant for urban vehicles with lower range, or for stationary storage, but could be more challenging to deploy in locations where consumers prioritise maximum range autonomy, or where charging is less accessible. Conversely, Na-ion batteries do not have the same energy density as their Li-ion counterpart (respectively 75 to 160 Wh/kg compared to 120 to 260 Wh/kg). The Na-ion battery developed by China’s CATL is estimated to cost 30% less than an LFP battery. It is currently the only viable chemistry that does not contain lithium. This battery chemistry has the dual advantage of relying on lower cost materials than Li-ion, leading to cheaper batteries, and of completely avoiding the need for critical minerals. In recent years, alternatives to Li-ion batteries have been emerging, notably sodium-ion (Na-ion). New alternatives to conventional lithium-ion are on the rise If all batteries today were LFP, they would account for nearly 1% of current agricultural phosphorus use by mass, suggesting that conflicting demands for phosphorus may arise in the future as battery demand increases. LFP batteries also contain phosphorus, which is used in food production. The downside of LFP is that the energy density tends to be lower than that of NMC. LFP batteries contrast with other chemistries in their use of iron and phosphorus rather than the nickel, manganese and cobalt found in NCA and NMC batteries. In total, only around 3% of electric cars with LFP batteries were manufactured in the United States in 2022. Around 85% of the cars with LFP batteries manufactured by Tesla were manufactured in China, with the remainder being manufactured in the United States with cells imported from China. Tesla accounted for 15%, and the share of LFP batteries used by Tesla increased from 20% in 2021 to 30% in 2022. Around 95% of the LFP batteries for electric LDVs went into vehicles produced in China, and BYD alone represents 50% of demand. This trend is driven mainly by the preferences of Chinese OEMs. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode chemistries have reached their highest share in the past decade. In 2022, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) remained the dominant battery chemistry with a market share of 60%, followed by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) with a share of just under 30%, and nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (NCA) with a share of about 8%. Global sales of BEV and PHEV cars are outpacing sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and as BEV and PHEV battery sizes are larger, battery demand further increases as a result. While the average battery size for battery electric cars in the United States only grew by about 7% in 2022, the average battery electric car battery size remains about 40% higher than the global average, due in part to the higher share of SUVs in US electric car sales relative to other major markets, 1 as well as manufacturers’ strategies to offer longer all-electric driving ranges. Battery demand for vehicles in the United States grew by around 80%, despite electric car sales only increasing by around 55% in 2022. ![]() In China, battery demand for vehicles grew over 70%, while electric car sales increased by 80% in 2022 relative to 2021, with growth in battery demand slightly tempered by an increasing share of PHEVs. Automotive lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery demand increased by about 65% to 550 GWh in 2022, from about 330 GWh in 2021, primarily as a result of growth in electric passenger car sales, with new registrations increasing by 55% in 2022 relative to 2021. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |