Source: CATL

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) (SZSE:300750) on January 22, 2026, launched its first mass-produced sodium-ion battery for light commercial vehicles, alongside a full-scenario battery portfolio and an intelligent battery management application, at a product event in Guangzhou.

The launch comes as China’s passenger new-energy vehicle penetration has exceeded 50%, while electrification in light commercial vehicles has lagged due to range, charging efficiency, and cold-weather reliability constraints. CATL is positioning sodium-ion technology as a solution to those structural bottlenecks, particularly in northern and high-altitude regions.

The sodium-ion product, branded as the Tianxing II Light Commercial Low-Temperature Edition, has a rated capacity of 45 kWh and is compatible with small and mid-sized vans and micro light trucks.

Source: CATL

CATL said the battery retains more than 92% usable capacity at minus 20 degrees Celsius and remains plug-and-charge capable at minus 30 degrees Celsius even when the cells are fully frozen. In extreme testing, usable capacity remained around 90% at minus 40 degrees Celsius.

CATL Chief Technology Officer Gao Huan said sodium-ion chemistry offers advantages in low-temperature performance, safety, and carbon footprint due to its larger ionic radius, lower electrolyte freezing point, and more stable electrode structure.

The battery passed saw-cutting, drilling, and multi-directional compression tests without fire or explosion and continued to discharge after physical damage, according to the company.

Beyond cold-region deployment, CATL unveiled three additional Tianxing II battery variants covering urban distribution, intercity logistics, and last-mile delivery. For intercity operations, the Tianxing II Long-Range Edition uses a super-hybrid chemistry cell combining ternary lithium and lithium iron phosphate technologies. The battery offers a single-pack capacity of 253 kWh, enabling a real-world driving range of up to 800 km (about 497 miles) without intermediate charging.

CATL said the long-range version achieves zero capacity degradation in the first year and carries a warranty of up to 10 years or 1 million km (about 621,000 miles). The battery uses a high-integration architecture, reducing vehicle weight by more than 260 kg while maintaining the same capacity.

For high-frequency urban delivery, CATL introduced the Tianxing II Ultra-Fast Charging Edition. At minus 15 degrees Celsius, the battery can charge from 20% to 80% in 30 minutes, about 30% faster than the previous generation.

Cycle life has been extended to 8,000 cycles, enabling vehicles to travel an additional 80,000 km (about 49,700 miles) over their lifecycle. CATL estimated this translates into roughly 150,000 CNY (c. $21,500) in additional freight revenue per vehicle.

A high-temperature ultra-fast charging version aimed at last-mile logistics supports peak 4C charging, allowing the battery to reach 60% state of charge in as little as 18 minutes. CATL said the system delivers approximately 10 km (6 miles) of range per minute of charging and reduces vehicle energy consumption by 5%, saving about 500 CNY (c. $100) annually in charging costs.

CATL also launched an intelligent battery management application designed to track battery health, visualize lifecycle returns, issue proactive risk alerts, and connect users directly to the company’s after-sales service network. The app supports multiple charging modes, including an emergency ultra-fast charging option during peak logistics periods.

To complement fixed charging, CATL introduced a battery swap solution with standardized packs ranging from 42 kWh to 81 kWh. More than 20 light commercial vehicle models have already been deployed with swap-compatible battery packs, according to the company.

Since launching the original Tianxing light commercial series in July 2024, CATL has partnered with 46 vehicle manufacturers, covering 678 models, with cumulative shipments exceeding 210,000 units.

CATL expects China’s new-energy light commercial vehicle sales to exceed 900,000 units in 2026, a test case for whether sodium-ion batteries can move from niche deployment to sector-wide adoption.

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