Chinese sodium-ion battery matches Tesla on build quality, teardown finds

A commercial sodium-ion battery from Chinese manufacturer Hina matches Tesla's lithium-ion cells on manufacturing quality and internal design, according to an independent teardown published in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports Physical Science. Researchers at Germany's RWTH Aachen University measured cell-to-cell resistance varying by just 5.3% across 120 cells, indicating tightly controlled mass production that rivals the best lithium cells available. The teardown revealed that Hina's sodium-ion battery utilizes a prismatic cell format, similar to Tesla's 4680 cells, and features a robust internal structure with minimal void space. This high level of manufacturing precision is crucial for battery performance and longevity, suggesting that sodium-ion technology is rapidly maturing to compete with established lithium-ion solutions. The study also noted the battery's energy density, though specific figures were not provided, and highlighted the potential for sodium-ion batteries to offer a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative due to the abundance of sodium compared to lithium. The findings suggest a significant advancement in battery technology, potentially impacting the electric vehicle market by offering viable alternatives to current lithium-ion dominant solutions.