Chinese two-wheeler giant Yadea released its first scooters, powered by a lithium-free sodium-ion battery pack. The e-bike can be charged 80% in 15 minutes and supports 1.5 โ 3C charging, according to Yadea.
During the Yadea Sodium Electric Vehicle conference in Hangzhou, the company started presales of four models equipped with sodium-ion packs. Prices range from 3,299 to 4,299 yuan (450 to 590 USD).
- Yadea Q1 sodium-ion: 3,299 yuan (450 USD)
- Yadea DE3 sodium-ion: 3,499 yuan (480 USD)
- Yadea G30 Lite sodium-ion: 3,699 yuan (500 USD)
- Guanneng Q50 sodium-ion: 4,299 yuan (590 USD)
- Equipped with TCS intelligent traction control system
The two-wheelers are equipped with Yuji Sodium Battery, which uses hard carbon material for its negative electrode, according to Yadea. The battery cells have an energy density exceeding 145 Wh/kg and can be charged and discharged 1,500 times at normal temperatures, lasting up to five years with regular use. The sodium battery retains over 92% of its capacity when discharged at -20ยฐC.
Yadea also launched the โHuayu JiNa Supercharging Ecosystem.โ Huayu is the name of its wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to sodium-i battery development. The company announced that the superchargers under the new ecosystem are widely distributed in core areas. Part of the ecosystem is a JiNa Smart Platform, which can monitor the status of supercharging stations and lock in the problematic battery once it is detected.
The EV maker didnโt disclose any more information during the conference. However, the companyย website shows that the Yadea Guanneng Q50 Sodium is equipped with a Na+ battery with a nominal voltage of 48 V and a capacity of 24 Ah, good for about 70 km range. The two-wheeler is powered by a TIFAR electric motor with 400 W power and a 25 km/h top speed. The vehicle dimensions are 1535/690/1100 mm, and the rated load is 75 kg.
In December, Yadea announced its cumulative two-wheeler sales surpassed 100 million units. Yadea Technology Group is a Chinese two-wheeler maker founded in 2001 and headquartered in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province.
Sodium-ion batteries are safer than lithium batteries and can withstand cold temperatures better. They have a slower discharge rate and are cheaper to produce while being more environmentally friendly. However, they have a slower charge rate, lower attainable voltage, and lower energy density. Thus, they will be used mainly in two-wheelers, small city cars, and stationary energy storage.
More companies are getting involved in sodium battery production in China. In January last year, BYD started constructing a 30 GWh sodium-ion battery plant in Xuzhou. The total investment is 10 billion yuan (1.4 billion USD). On November 18, 2024, CATL announced it would launch a second-generation sodium-ion battery in 2025.
