EcoPro BM Co., a South Korean cathode material producer, is in advanced discussions with a domestic carmaker to produce cathode materials for sodium-based batteries. The sodium-based batteries are emerging as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
Sodium-ion batteries are considered cost-effective, next-generation batteries. It is also an alternative to the lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) batteries used in low-end EVs. Sodium is more readily available than lithium, a crucial metal for NCA, NCM, and LFP batteries, as it can be found in rock salts and brines worldwide.
These batteries maintain performance even at low temperatures below minus 20 degrees Celsius, providing high stability. EcoPro BM Co. claims to be in the final stages of development, with the technology already advanced enough for immediate production.
The company believes it has surpassed China in sodium cathode production technology. Despite having a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries, EcoPro BM Co. expects to elevate the technology to the level of LFP batteries within one to two years.
