21 votes

A sodium-ion portable power bank comes to market

Posted by skybrian
Tags: storage.energy, batteries.sodium ion, elecom, na plus, charging, manufacturing, author.andrew liszewski, source.the verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/631357/elecom-power-bank-battery-sodium-ion

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Title
Elecom's Na Plus sodium-ion power bank uses safer and longer-lasting sodium-ion battery technology
Authors
Andrew Liszewski
Published
Mar 17 2025
Word count
509 words

6 comments

  1. [6]
    skybrian
    Link
    From the article: …

    From the article:

    Accessory maker Elecom has announced what it’s claiming to be the first consumer-ready power bank that uses a sodium-ion battery instead of a lithium-ion one, as spotted by Notebookcheck. In addition to being more environmentally friendly to manufacture, the 9,000mAh Na Plus can be used in extreme temperatures with less risk of overheating, and has — Elecom claims — a lifespan of almost 5,000 charges.

    …

    Sodium-ion batteries — like the name might suggest — function similarly to lithium-ion ones, but with sodium instead of lithium. Sodium is more abundantly available and much easier to produce. Sodium-ion batteries are also safer to use. Elecom says the Na Plus can operate in temperatures ranging from around -30 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and is at less risk of fires caused by overheating and thermal runaway.

    The price tag on this technology might drop in the future as the supply chain expands and production increases. But doing those things likely won’t solve this other drawback: sodium-ion batteries are simply bigger all around. These batteries have a lower energy density compared to lithium-based batteries, meaning they have to be larger and heavier to store an equivalent amount of energy. Case in point: that 10,000mAh lithium battery from Anker weighs around 213 grams, while the 9,000mAh Na Plus is 350 grams and much bulkier.

    10 votes
    1. [5]
      Hollow
      Link Parent
      It still sounds useful for applications where charging is readily available but the environment is hazardous, or special "safety" power banks for consumers travelling on planes / trains.

      It still sounds useful for applications where charging is readily available but the environment is hazardous, or special "safety" power banks for consumers travelling on planes / trains.

      7 votes
      1. [4]
        Toric
        Link Parent
        Also for areas that are not very weight sensitve, such as grid-scale power storage, though I have my doubts about any chemical energy storage at large scale.

        Also for areas that are not very weight sensitve, such as grid-scale power storage, though I have my doubts about any chemical energy storage at large scale.

        5 votes
        1. [3]
          Hollow
          Link Parent
          I thought about that, especially with regard to the Australian energy storage facility Tesla built given its tolerance for a high temperature climate, but that's when the for-now higher price per...

          I thought about that, especially with regard to the Australian energy storage facility Tesla built given its tolerance for a high temperature climate, but that's when the for-now higher price per Ah becomes a weight around its neck. You can probably get away with selling a 10 000 mAh "plane safe" power bank to frequent fliers for twice the price, especially if it's in the airport shopping area where passenger baggage has already been weighed, but doing the same with a three acre power storage plant is a non-starter.

          3 votes
          1. Toric
            Link Parent
            Yah, this is assuming production goes up to a point where the price is competitive. Im guessing Li-ion batteries are cheaper mainly because all the manufacturing infra is built around making them,...

            Yah, this is assuming production goes up to a point where the price is competitive. Im guessing Li-ion batteries are cheaper mainly because all the manufacturing infra is built around making them, rather than other battery chems, and if Na-ion becomes a thing, that may change.

            8 votes
          2. ThrowdoBaggins
            Link Parent
            I think I disagree, with my opinion mostly weighted on the significantly increased number of charge cycles. From a random website I found when searching online: So compared to Li-ion or LiPo...

            I think I disagree, with my opinion mostly weighted on the significantly increased number of charge cycles.

            From a random website I found when searching online:

            Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries typically offer around 300-500 charging cycles before their capacity starts to degrade noticeably.

            Lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries can generally handle 400-600 charging cycles.

            Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries are known for their longevity and can endure up to 2000 charging cycles.

            So compared to Li-ion or LiPo you’re looking at nearly 10x charge cycles, and even 2x the known-for-longevity LiFePO4.

            At grid scale, I think even a conservative 4x lifetime for a 4x cost ends up being worth it, if only because it means a longer time horizon before you need to replace it.

            3 votes