Stellantis eyes cheaper EVs with sodium ion battery partnership
Sodium ion batteries are free of lithium and cobalt
Multinational giant has invested in Tiamat, which aims to build sodium ion electric car batteries in France
Stellantis has taken a step towards drastically reducing the price of its future electric cars by partnering with a company that produces sodium ion batteries.
Sodium ion has been touted by several manufacturers as a more cost-effective battery chemistry that could pave the way for much cheaper EVs in the near future.
For example, Dacia boss Denis Le Vot has said the next-generation electric Sandero could use the technology and Chinese giant BYD recently signed a $1.2 billion contract to build the world's largest sodium battery factory in Xuzhou, with an eye on specifically powering small cars and scooters.
Stellantis has invested in Amiens-based Tiamat, a spin-off of the French National Centre for Scientific Research, which is claimed to be the first company in the world to commercialise a sodium ion battery.
Tiamat will use the revenue generated in its latest funding round, which included Stellantis's undisclosed investment, to build a new sodium ion battery factory in France.
This new factory will first build batteries for power tools and energy storage devices but will scale up to eventually produce "second-generation" cells for battery-electric cars. No timeframe has been given.
Stellantis said the implications of its new partnership will be significant for its future vehicles: "Sodium ion technology offers a lower cost per kilowatt-hour and is free of lithium and cobalt. Abundantly available sodium offers benefits in increased sustainability and material sovereignty."
The multinational giant has previously vocalised a plan to cut battery weight in its EVs by 50% by introducing new lightweight technologies and more efficient cell packaging.
It also recently invested in American company Lytten, which is developing lithium-sulphur batteries.
Tiamat has said sodium ion is a "stable chemistry for simple, safe, fast and performing solutions".
It's aiming to achieve charging times of just five minutes and claims its batteries – with an impressive power density of 2-5kW per kilogram – retain up to 80% capacity after 5000 charge cycles.
Ned Curic, chief engineering and technology officer at Stellantis, said: “Exploring new options for more sustainable and affordable batteries that use widely available raw materials is a key part of our ambitions of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan that will see us reach carbon net-zero by 2038.
“Our customers are asking for emissions-free vehicles that offer a combination of robust driving range, performance and affordability. This is our North Star, as Stellantis and its partners work today to develop ground-breaking technologies for the future.”
Stellantis aims to secure around 400GWh of battery capacity to support its ambition to achieve a 100% EV mix in Europe and a 50% EV mix in the US by 2030.
It claims to have secured supplies of "EV raw materials" to take it through to 2028 from a range of global partner firms.