CATL said on April 21, 2026, that sodium-ion batteries are ready for mass production this year, a move that could loosen pressure on lithium, copper and graphite supply chains if the chemistry proves durable at scale.
CATL said on April 21 that its Naxtra sodium-ion battery has moved into GWh-scale industrialization and is set for full-scale mass production by the end of 2026 after the company said it solved four manufacturing bottlenecks tied to moisture control, gas generation, aluminum foil adhesion and self-forming anode systems.
Group14 Technologies said its new Sangju, South Korea factory has begun EV-scale production of its silicon battery material SCC55, a milestone the company says can support up to 2,000 metric tons a year as silicon-anode adoption widens in commercial battery programs.
Voltavate has secured $3.55 million in grant funding from Australia’s renewable energy agency to advance a battery separator platform from laboratory development into pilot-scale manufacturing, a step that could reduce supply-chain dependence for battery makers if the technology proves out in cell testing.
Canada has awarded Nano One Materials $4.3 million to scale up its lithium-iron-phosphate production process, a commercialization push for a battery material widely used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
Asian lithium prices are set to stay elevated into the second quarter after Zimbabwe suspended lithium concentrate exports and other supply disruptions hit the battery-material chain.
