JAC Wants To Make Affordable Electric Cars

 JAC Motors is working on the world’s first sodium-ion battery car

China’s JAC Group, which markets the T6, T8 and X200 bakkies in South Africa, has unveiled the world’s first electric car powered by a sodium-ion battery.

But what’s the big deal here? According to the carmaker, this technology could be a game-changer for the EV industry as sodium-ion batteries are cheaper than the lithium-ion units that are commonly used, and potentially more sustainable as they rely on a far more abundant resource.

While the scarcity and cost of lithium have been a monumental challenge to the industry, sodium-ion batteries use cheaper raw materials and have been touted as a potential alternative that could help reduce EV production costs by 10%.

There are disadvantages, however, the biggest hurdle is that they have a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries, meaning the equivalent size battery will offer a lower range between charges.

However, despite this JAC claims that its new Hua Xianzi compact hatchback, which is fitted with a 25 kWh battery supplied by HiNa Battery Technologies, can cover as many as 250km on a single charge, but perhaps this is also due to the vehicle’s diminutive size. The new vehicle is the result of a joint venture with Volkswagen.

Making sodium-ion batteries feasible in larger vehicles could still prove a challenge, however. Battery research pioneer Jason Zhang recently told Emerging Tech Brew that it could still take a few more years for the technology to mature.

But either way, sodium-ion batteries do carry other advantages besides cost, including the fact that they’re less prone to overheating and catching fire, and they’re also said to offer better low-temperature performance, charging speed and a longer life span, according to JAC.

"The future of electric vehicles looks promising with the introduction of more affordable and sustainable battery technology," says JAC SA head Karl-Heinz Göbel. "With the development of new battery technology, EV pricing will become more competitive, giving more car buyers access to new-energy vehicles."

So, we may truly see electric cars in South Africa at JAC Johannesburg and Cape Town dealers!

Although the company has yet to reveal any plans for offering this vehicle in South Africa through JAC dealers in Johannesburg and further a field, the company is clearly enthusiastic about the prospect of offering motorists a more attainable EV option.

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Article shared from JAC Fan For Life