JAC Motors, the Chinese automaker backed by Volkswagen, will launch its first electric car using a sodium-ion battery design through its Yiwei brand.
Batteries designed with sodium ion materials have lower density characteristics than current lithium ion materials, which corresponds to lower production costs. They also have the ability to function normally in cold weather. Therefore, they are expected to become the battery specification used in the next generation of electric vehicles and will accelerate the popularization of the electric vehicle market.
JAC Yttrium plans to begin offering this electric vehicle, featuring an all-sodium-ion battery design, in January 2024. This electric vehicle is apparently based on this year's Sehol E1X hatchback. Prior to this, JAC Motors announced the Sehol brand in May of this year, stating that it would discontinue the Sehol name and plan to integrate existing Sehol-branded vehicles under either the JAC Motors or Sehol brand.
Volkswagen currently holds approximately 75% equity and management control in JAC Motors. It also holds a 50% stake in JAC Motors' parent company, Anhui JAC Automobile Group, with the remaining 50% held by the Chinese government. JAC Motors utilizes cylindrical sodium-ion batteries supplied by Zhongke Haina Technology, assembled in a honeycomb and modular format for enhanced stability and discharge efficiency.
