The cost comparison between sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries highlights several key points:
- Production Costs: Sodium-ion batteries are generally cheaper to produce. Estimates suggest they cost around $50 to $87 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), whereas lithium-ion batteries cost about $70 to $89 per kWh. This makes sodium-ion batteries potentially up to one-third less expensive than lithium-ion batteries.
- Material Costs: Sodium is far more abundant than lithium, contributing to lower raw material costs. Battery-grade sodium carbonate is significantly cheaper than lithium carbonate, which contributes to the overall lower cost of sodium-ion batteries.
- Scalability and Existing Infrastructure: The manufacturing process for sodium-ion cells is similar to that of lithium-ion cells, allowing existing infrastructure to be used with minimal additional investment, further reducing costs when transitioning to sodium-ion technology.
However, while sodium-ion batteries offer significant cost advantages, their energy density is lower compared to lithium-ion batteries, which can limit their application in electric vehicles due to the need for larger cells. Despite this, they are promising for energy storage systems where cost and scalability are more critical than energy density.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-the-cost-of-sodium-ion-batteries-compare-to-lithium-ion-batteries/
