Elecom introduces the world’s first sodium-ion power bank – operates for up to 13 years at temperatures down to -34°C

Japanese brand Elecom has released the world’s first power bank powered by a sodium-ion battery. It promises a significantly longer service life than traditional lithium-ion batteries and also provides the ability to operate at extremely low and high temperatures.

Externally, Elecom DE-C55L-9000 power bank looks like any other similar device. The compact body contains a 9000 mAh battery, USB Type-C (45W), Type-A (18W) ports, and LED charging indicators.

The most interesting thing is inside. Sodium-ion batteries work similarly to lithium-ion batteries, but use sodium instead of lithium in the cathode and sodium salts in the electrolyte. This reduces the need for rare metals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper, making the batteries cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

Moreover, Elecom’s new power bank is also temperature-resistant: it operates in the range from -34°C to +50°C, making it ideal for use in extreme conditions. In addition, the risk of fire is significantly lower than that of lithium-ion counterparts. This is due to the properties of the materials used to produce the battery.

Another important advantage of the new product is its service life. Elecom DE-C55L-9000 power bank can withstand 5000 charging cycles. For comparison, conventional lithium-ion batteries have a lifespan of only 500-1000 cycles. This means that it can last about 13 years with daily use.

In addition, sodium-ion batteries can be transported in a discharged state (0 V), which significantly reduces the risk of fire during transportation. And since sodium is abundant in nature (for example, in sea salt), its use can reduce the need for harmful rare metal mining.

Price

The Elecom DE-C55L-9000 power bank costs 9980 yen (about $67) in Japan and is sold in limited quantities. This is much more expensive than conventional Anker power banks with a capacity of 10,000 mAh ($16-24). This is one of the main drawbacks of the new product. It is also worth paying attention to the weight. Sodium-ion batteries have a lower energy density. Therefore, the weight of DE-C55L-9000 is 350 g compared to 212-244 g for competitors.

Due to the latter drawback, such batteries cannot yet completely replace lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. However, the technology is already being considered for stationary energy storage systems.

It’s great to see one of the first commercial products based on sodium-ion batteries enter the market. This technology has been in development since the 1970s and potentially has a lower cost per kWh than lithium-ion. In addition, the batteries not only work in the same way as lithium-ion batteries, but can also be manufactured in a similar way. Therefore, the production of more of these batteries will not require significant costs for re-equipment of production.

Although there is still room for modernization in lithium-ion batteries. Recently, scientists achieved retention of 98% of the capacity after 500 cycles, as well as lower cost and increased heat resistance.

Source: newatlas