Changan band Oshan adopts CATL sodium-ion batteries
Chinese media reports indicate that CATL’s sodium-ion battery brand, Naxtra, has been installed in a passenger car model from the Changan brand Oshan, with winter testing set to begin imminently. Passenger car models from GAC and JAC are also expected to follow, equipped with CATL’s sodium-ion batteries. These will be the first passenger car models to use such batteries, which were initially deployed in commercial vehicles after their introduction.
CATL, after first announcing sodium-ion batteries in 2021, launched the Naxtra brand for its sodium-ion technology in April 2025. At the time, the Naxtra passenger car battery was announced with an energy density of 175 Wh/kg, which CATL claimed was comparable to LFP cells. Last week, CATL, through its Naxtra brand, began marketing its ‘Tectrans II’ battery series, a 45 kWh sodium-ion battery designed for light commercial vehicles such as vans and small trucks.
The ‘Tectrans II’ battery is said to enable ad-hoc charging even in extreme cold conditions of -30 °C. According to the manufacturer, it retains 90% of its usable capacity at -40 °C. Its lifespan is rated at over 10,000 cycles, and its energy density matches the previously announced 175 Wh/kg for passenger car models.
Around the time of this announcement, CATL’s Chief Technology Officer, Gao Huan, stated in an interview that sodium-ion batteries would also be used in electric vehicles starting in the second quarter. He specifically mentioned a model from GAC Aion. However, the portal ‘Cailian’ has since reported, citing multiple sources, that the first deployment will take place in an Oshan model, with GAC (or its electric vehicle brand GAC Aion) and JAC to follow. The portal CarNewsChina speculates that it could be the Changan Oshan 520, as this model already features CATL’s battery-swapping system.
Whether it is the Oshan 520 or a model from GAC Aion, these will be the first electric cars to use sodium-ion batteries from the global market leader, CATL, but not the first sodium-ion batteries in cars in China. The JAC-owned brand Yiwei already launched a small car with sodium-ion batteries in early 2024—the cells were supplied by Hina Battery. However, sodium-ion cells have yet to achieve widespread adoption, as lithium-ion technology continues to dominate the market in China.
According to Gao Huan, CATL’s developments could change this dynamic. While he acknowledged that sodium-ion batteries are still in the early stages of development, he predicted a significantly faster evolution compared to lithium-ion batteries. “Reliable startup in severe cold environments and no fire or explosion even under rigorous testing – these performances constitute the differentiated advantages of sodium batteries,” said CATL’s Chief Technology Officer.
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