I was going to point to some interesting things about those little individual 18650 lithium batteries which are most common type used (in groups of rows) in things like power stations, electric bikes, power tools, and just about everything else. But wanted to gather a little more info first before presenting it here but ended up getting slightly sidetracked (which is always inevitable), so I'll come back to the 18650's later because this is quite interesting and something I never really realized..
We've discussed here before about how the Lifepo lithium are a lot safer and have pretty much now become the norm over the original style lithiums, and how now the new sodium batteries which are equally capable (if not better) are even safer than the Lifepo and a lot cheaper to produce. So it's expected the sodium batteries will become the new standard. -
That's probably why we've seen the major price drops on all power stations from the major manufactures like Bluetti, Ecoflow, Jackery, Anker, it's because they're trying to unload old-technolgy stock (so to speak) they're all now priced as low or lower than what the questionable quality knock-off brands used to cost.
All the major companies obviously plan to create new lines of power stations that use sodium technology next, but from where will those batteries be sources from? Most likely it won't be the U.S.
Natron’s liquidation shows why the US isn’t ready to make its own batteries
https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/05/natrons-liquidation-shows-why-the-us-isnt-ready-to-make-its-own-batteries/
Sodium-ion battery startup Natron ceased operations this week, ending the company’s 12-year quest to commercialize its technology in the U.S.
The company had $25 million worth of orders lined up for its Michigan factory, but it couldn’t deliver them until it had UL certification .... .. The closure is an example of the challenges that come with trying to manufacture batteries without consistent industrial policies. The road from startup to gigafactory often takes a decade or more — a journey that lasts longer than most business cycles — and certainly longer than most investor fads.
... their potential has been undercut by a lithium price war in China. In the last two and a half years, the price of lithium carbonate has cratered, dropping 90%, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. ..
For the foreseeable future, the West’s best chance at domestic battery manufacturing still runs through Asia.
I don't know if the power station's are that quick to go to sodium batteries yet as the cycles compared to liFe PO4(lithium iron phosphate) are not as good...3000 to 4000 cycles...complete discharge to full again and still have 80% original capacity with liFe PO4. For electric vehicles that is a big plus. Also sodium batteries are also heavier too for the same capacity which would add to the weight of the power stations and make electric vehicles much heavier also.
I think the power station prices is competition between the companies trying to outdo each other.
https://ecoteardown.top/sodium-ion-vs-lifepo4-battery-compared-pros-cons-and-differences/
As for building batteries in the USA?, like all other things it would have to cost a lot more, which I don't understand as close to everything you used to buy was made in Canada or the USA and was affordable and the only things made elsewhere was when the company was based in another country. That's the way it was till the eighties. I have my opinions why this all changed but that's a different subject.
@mark I hadn't looked into it deeply, have just been kind of watching it. I probably misinterpreted the reasoning on why lithium vs sodium for power stations, weight certainly does play a factor.
The article however states the real reason things like power stations have experienced such a drastic drop in price in recent years:
"..lithium price war in China. In the last two and a half years, the price of lithium carbonate has cratered, dropping 90%, .."
It has a big advantage...
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/bluettis-world-first-sodium-power-station
World’s first sodium-ion portable power station unveiled, offers 1,500-watt power
Bluetti unveils the world’s first sodium-ion portable power station, built for extreme cold.
@richpowers Interesting news! It does mention that the weight is a lot more as sodium batteries hold less energy than similar weight and size liFe PO4.
@mark Yeah but 35lbs isn't bad for a 900wh, 1,500w-2,250w output sodium battery. My Ecoflow 1250wh lifepo weighs less, but 1250wh lead-acid AGM battery weighs 70lbs.
What makes it worth the tradeoff is it has no problem with cold weather. I had big problems getting my batteries to charge in past winters and it never got below like maybe 30 degrees a couple times, but more commonly like 50. The colder it is, the less the battery will charge.
It says they'll be hitting stores in October but doesn't mention the price, but it does mention: "The choice of sodium-ion is a wise one, as sodium is far more abundant and cheaper than lithium." -- So maybe the prices will reflect that.
Interesting video. Seems pros and cons for each. Pros for Sodium ion...below freezing operation and potentially 2.5 times the charge discharge cycles up to 10,000 times.
For the pros for liFe PO4....lighter weight for portability and for older people like me!
More energy dense so smaller and less weight for the same capacity.
But the liFe PO4 cycles of 3000-4000 cycles is to 80% but how many more cycles could it go before down to a capacity to be considered end of life? And the 10,000 cycles potential of the sodium ion batteries, but 4000 cycles to 70%, would the usable capacity up to 10,000 cycles be useful up to that. We don't know this. The liFe PO4 could also get closer to 10,000 cycles of usable capacity.
Seems a toss up as to which would be better.
@mark The sodiums are supposed to get a lot less expensive because they're much cheaper (and greener) to produce than the current lithium batteries are, but until the market grows that Bluetti sodium is about twice the price of the other.
The only real advantage (on the users end) is if the unit has to operate in freezing conditions, because the sodium can still charge and be used, whereas the Lifepo can neither charge or be used.
If not trying to use them in freezing tempsture then one is just as good as the other. Or so I gather