Revolution in Graz: Sodium-ion batteries set new standards!

Revolution in Graz: Sodium-ion batteries set new standards!

The Graz High-Tech company Accupower has achieved a significant breakthrough in battery technology with the market launch of sodium-ion batteries. This new type of battery, which operates under the name NATEC ("Natrium Technologies"), is the first industrial solution of this kind worldwide. Sodium-ion batteries are considered a more sustainable alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries due to their more environmentally friendly properties and the use of sodium, a raw material available worldwide.

The sodium-ion batteries are electrochemical systems that save and release (anode) energy (anode) energy due to the load transport between a positive electrode (cathode) and a negative electrode. This technology offers several advantages, including cost -effective production thanks to the greater availability of sodium and improved security. It also shows a lower temperature sensitivity and enables constant performance at temperature fluctuations. The batteries could therefore be used in particular in areas where the highest safety requirements apply, such as in the automotive industry and medical technology.

sustainability and security

The Accupower sodium-ion batteries not only offer higher fire security, but also a lifespan to up to four times larger compared to their lithium-containing counterparts. Moritz Minarik, CEO from Accupower, describes the market launch of this technology as a decisive milestone for sustainable industry. COO Bettina Haberler emphasizes how important reducing the dependency on critical, rare raw materials is. These properties make the sodium-ion batteries a promising solution for the challenges associated with the use of lithium-ion batteries, such as the environmental influence and the dependence on rare materials.

The further development of these technologies also brings challenges, including the need to develop efficient cathode and anode materials that offer both high energy density and long lifespan. The platform reports energy experts and also points out that the optimization of cycle stability is another important task on the way to the broad application of the sodium-ion batteries.

use in the automotive industry

The use of sodium-ion batteries is becoming increasingly relevant in the area of electric vehicles. One example is the Chinese company Hina Battery, which has equipped the Sehol E10X with sodium-ion technology. This conversion enables the vehicle to reach a range of around 250 km with a 25 kWh battery. However, it remains to be seen whether the Sehol E10X will be delivered with sodium-ion batteries by default in the future. Nevertheless, this shows that technology is becoming increasingly important for e-mobility, especially if the significant cost advantages of up to 30 to 40 percent are taken into account compared to lithium-ion batteries.

The next generation of electric vehicles could therefore become much more sustainable and inexpensive, which also causes the large automobile manufacturers such as BYD to think about the use of this new battery technology. At the same time, however, it remains unclear when German manufacturers will switch to sodium-ion technology. While the advantages are clearly obvious, the quick development and optimization of the associated materials will be decisive for the success of this technology.

Accupower, which was founded in 1998 and has been part of the Moons Group in Graz since 2022, has already won the first industrial customers, including well -known companies such as Porsche, Avl and Rosenbauer. With over 90,000 special designs in 52 countries, the company continues to position itself as a pioneer in the field of sustainable energy supply.