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Why would that be a reason to switch, given the LFP batteries typically have better operational parameters in everything except cold-weather charging?
Lithium makes up 0.002% of the Earth's crust, meanwhile sodium is 2.36%, and there's quite a lot of it in the ocean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_of_elements_in_Earth...
The main downside is power density, which for grid storage is not as big a deal as it is for vehicles. But it will still be some years of research on sodium batteries for the cost advantage and manufacturing scale to materialize.
Anyone have a good idea when these will be available for consumers?
Na-Ion cells are great for grid-scale storage because they potentially can go down to something like $20 per kWh. But bulk LFP cells are already at ~$60 per kWh, so their cost is not really a deciding factor anymore.
Na is basically Li times 30. This is good in that they make really effective batteries. This is bad in that when the battery malfunctions, the energy is released at 30x the rate. So remember when that Telsa caught fire and the driver walked away very scared but ok. If those were Na-ion, they wouldn't be ok...or alive...or recognizable as human. Basically, these are far too dangerous for consumer use. And any grid scale battery will need about a mile of gravel around them to prevent any fires or deaths from explosions.
Sodium ion batteries are less energy dense than lithium ion and are not prone to dendrite formation. They are also more thermally stable and less likely to do thermal run away reactions.
Also, since they are less energy dense they don’t store the same potential energy.
You are probably thinking of metallic sodium batteries which are completely different.
This company got sold for scrap.
So really just assembly and sales then. I suppose it's a good start and maybe if business takes off they can figure out their own cells.
Is GM testing Peak's cells or some Chinese company's cells?
In a car it’s worth paying more for higher volumetric and gravitational density. For aircraft even more so.
For grid storage, physical space is usually not the largest issue. Cost of deployment, stability, and cycle life are bigger factors.
QuantumScape is a good example as it entered into agreements with opertors for their battery tech.
Good article on solid state for the grid: http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2025/ph240/mann2/