In the wave of energy transition and technological innovation, the diversified development of battery technology routes has attracted widespread attention. Lithium-ion batteries, with their high energy density, have dominated the electric vehicle and consumer electronics markets over the past decade. 

However, issues such as resource limitations, cost fluctuations, and safety concerns have gradually become more prominent. In contrast, sodium-ion batteries, although emerging later, are rapidly rising due to their unique advantages, becoming an important supplement or even alternative in the fields of energy storage and certain power applications. The most notable advantage of sodium-ion batteries lies in their resource foundation and cost controllability. Lithium is a relatively scarce element in the Earth's crust, with approximately 70% of global lithium resources concentrated in the "Lithium Triangle" region of South America. 

This has made the supply chain susceptible to geopolitical risks and market price volatility. In contrast, sodium is the sixth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, widely distributed globally, easily accessible, and inexpensive. This gives sodium-ion batteries a natural cost advantage at the raw material level, especially in large-scale energy storage and other price-sensitive applications, where sodium batteries are expected to significantly reduce system costs. Additionally, the cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries can be made from low-cost metals such as iron and manganese, eliminating the need for scarce resources like cobalt and nickel, thereby avoiding resource competition and ethical controversies.

In terms of safety performance, sodium-ion batteries demonstrate higher tolerance. Sodium batteries exhibit lower risks of thermal runaway under extreme conditions such as overcharging, needle puncture, or high temperatures, and their internal chemical systems are more stable. This characteristic makes them particularly suitable for scenarios with high safety requirements, such as large-scale grid energy storage, home energy storage systems, or low-speed electric vehicles.

 Although the current energy density of sodium-ion batteries is generally lower than that of high-end lithium batteries, they offer excellent power characteristics and low-temperature performance. Sodium-ion batteries can maintain a high capacity retention rate even at temperatures as low as -20°C or below, whereas lithium batteries experience significant performance degradation in cold environments. This feature gives sodium batteries unique value in special environments such as cold-region energy storage and construction machinery. From a technological development perspective, sodium-ion batteries share a high degree of compatibility with lithium batteries in terms of production processes and equipment, allowing for rapid deployment and capacity expansion based on the existing lithium battery industrial chain, thereby reducing transition costs. In recent years, with material innovations and structural optimizations—such as breakthroughs in cathode materials like Prussian white and layered oxides—the energy density of sodium-ion batteries has gradually approached that of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, while their cycle life continues to improve, meeting the needs of most energy storage scenarios. Of course, sodium-ion batteries are not intended to completely replace lithium batteries but rather to build a complementary and integrated energy storage system. In areas such as electric vehicles that require extremely high energy density, lithium batteries will continue to dominate.

However, in applications such as two-wheelers, low-speed electric vehicles, base station backup power, and large-scale energy storage, sodium batteries are carving out broad application spaces by leveraging their advantages in cost, safety, and environmental adaptability. Some companies have already launched sodium battery-powered micro electric vehicles, shared e-bikes, and are advancing demonstration projects in the photovoltaic energy storage sector. In summary, sodium-ion batteries, with their advantages of abundant resources, low cost, high safety, and excellent low-temperature performance, are poised to occupy an important position in the energy storage market. 

As technology continues to advance and large-scale production progresses, sodium batteries will not only alleviate the pressure on lithium resources but also promote the widespread adoption of clean energy. They will provide key support for building a diverse, stable, and sustainable energy future.