On July 29th, Ningde Times New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. successfully held its first online press conference. Chairman Dr. Zeng Yuqun released Ningde Times' first generation sodium ion battery, and the innovative lithium sodium hybrid battery pack also made its debut at the conference. As another milestone achievement in the industrialization of innovative technology in CATL, sodium ion batteries will provide new solutions for energy cleanliness and transportation electrification, promoting the early achievement of the "carbon neutrality" goal.       Breaking through the technical bottleneck of sodium ion batteriesWith "carbon neutrality" becoming a global consensus, the new energy industry has entered a stage of multi-level, multi type, and diversified development, and increasingly segmented markets have put forward differentiated demands for batteries; At the same time, the research and development speed of battery basic materials is accelerating worldwide, which opens a two-way window for the industrialization of sodium ion batteries. Sodium ion batteries have a similar working principle to lithium-ion batteries, mainly through the insertion and extraction of sodium ions between the positive and negative electrodes to achieve charge transfer. However, compared to lithium ions, sodium ions have a larger volume and require more stringent requirements in terms of material structure stability and dynamic performance, which has also become a bottleneck for sodium ion batteries that are difficult to commercialize. Ningde Times has been deeply involved in the research and development of sodium ion chemical system materials for many years. In terms of positive electrode materials, Ningde Times has adopted Prussian white materials with higher gram capacity, innovatively rearranged the charge of the material's phase structure, and solved the core problem of Prussian white's rapid capacity decay during cycling. In terms of negative electrode materials, CATL has developed hard carbon materials with unique pore structures, which have the characteristics of high capacity, easy detachment and insertion, and excellent cycling. Based on a series of breakthroughs in the material system, the first generation sodium ion battery developed by CATL has advantages such as high energy density, high rate charging, excellent thermal stability, good low-temperature performance, and high integration efficiency. The energy density of its single cell is as high as 160Wh/kg; Charge at room temperature for 15 minutes, with a battery capacity of over 80%; In a low temperature environment of -20 ° C, it also has a discharge retention rate of over 90%; The system integration efficiency can reach over 80%; The thermal stability far exceeds the national safety requirements. The first generation sodium ion batteries can be applied in various transportation electrification scenarios, especially in high-altitude and cold regions, and can flexibly adapt to the application needs of energy storage in all scenarios.Four Major Innovations Support Three Major DirectionsBuilding a world-class innovative technology company and making outstanding contributions to the human new energy industry is the vision of CATL. For this reason, Ningde Times is making unremitting efforts in three strategic development directions: firstly, replacing fixed fossil fuels with renewable energy generation and storage; Secondly, using power batteries to support the development of electric vehicles and replace mobile fossil fuels; The third is to accelerate the process of new energy substitution in various fields through integrated application innovation of electrification and intelligence. As a support for the three major development directions, CATL has formed four innovative systems: materials and chemical systems, system structures, extreme manufacturing, and business models, forming a rapid transformation ability from cutting-edge basic research to industrial applications, and then to large-scale commercialization. Basic research on materials and chemical systems is crucial. Zeng Yuqun, Chairman of CATL, said that some people believe that the chemical system of batteries is difficult to innovate and can only be improved in terms of physical structure. "But we believe that the world of electrochemistry is like an energy cube, where the unknown is far greater than the known, and we tirelessly explore its mysteries." Zeng Yuqun introduced that CATL has built a high-throughput material integrated computing platform, which simulates and designs materials at the atomic level. With a deep understanding of principles, advanced algorithms, and powerful computing power, CATL has searched for the binding points of various material genes, developed various materials more suitable for sodium ion batteries, and promoted them to enter the fast track of industrialization, constantly iterating. The research and development goal for the energy density of the next generation sodium ion batteries is above 200Wh/kg.Multidimensional layout promotes the industrialization of sodium ion batteriesAt the press conference, Dr. Huang Qisen, Vice President of Ningde Times Research Institute, introduced that in terms of manufacturing technology, sodium ion batteries can achieve perfect compatibility with lithium-ion battery production equipment and processes, and production lines can be quickly switched to complete rapid production capacity layout. At present, Ningde Times has launched corresponding industrial layout and will form a basic industrial chain in 2023. Ningde Times welcomes the participation of relevant research institutions, upstream material suppliers, and downstream battery application ends to jointly accelerate the improvement and development of the sodium ion battery industry chain. Zeng Yuqun believes that "carbon neutrality" has given rise to a trillion watt hour demand for batteries, driving the vigorous development of the new energy industry. New application scenarios are constantly emerging, providing a stage for different technologies to be applied. Diversified technological routes will also contribute to the long-term stable development of the industry.