Comparative Analysis of Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries for Electrical Vehicles Application

Abstract

The widespread acceptance of EVs faces challenges because of exorbitant purchase costs. The modern market is ruled by lithium-ion batteries that represent its primary cost elements. This battery technology delivers exceptional energy density as well as established performance, but it comes with three major disadvantages. While this technology presents high costs along with limited resource availability and manufacturing process and disposal impacts on the environment. The sixth most common crusial element sodium provides battery manufacturers with an efficient and enduring raw material source that exists in large quantities on Earth. Sodium-ion batteries efficiently confront the major issues which affect lithium-ion batteries by decreasing their cost and eliminating material scarcity and temperature-related issues. The batteries address key lithium-ion battery problems by using sustainable materials and existing structures and presenting safer operations while being kind to the environment. The research demonstrates that sodium-ion batteries create a promising approach for sustainable electric vehicle advancement. The development of affordable sustainable electric mobility solutions shows promise to change how energy will be stored in the future.

Introduction

Introduction:

The global shift toward sustainable energy—especially in the electric vehicle (EV) sector—has driven demand for advanced energy storage systems. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to sodium’s abundance, lower cost, and similar intercalation behavior.

Key Points:

1. Advantages of Sodium-Ion Batteries (SIBs):

• Eco-friendly, thermally stable, and cheaper than lithium.

• Faster charging capabilities (full charge in ~130 minutes vs. 175 minutes for LIBs).

• Suitable for mass production due to abundant sodium supply.

2. Current Challenges:

• Lower energy density and shorter cycle life compared to LIBs.

• Instability of electrode materials.

• Performance gaps remain in terms of voltage stability and discharge duration.

3. Research Progress:

• Advancements in cathode/anode materials and electrolytes.

• Improved cell design and thermal management.

• Use of machine learning for RUL prediction and smart BMS.

• Innovations in battery balancing and fault detection.

4. Comparative Analysis:

5. Drive Cycle Simulation (FTP-75):

• Evaluates battery behavior under urban driving conditions.

• Demonstrates gradual SOC decrease, fluctuating current, and consistent voltage trends.

• Confirms real-world applicability of both battery types in EVs.

6. Charging & Discharging Simulation:

• Both batteries charged under constant current (1A).

• SIBs showed faster SOC rise and higher terminal voltage spikes.

• During discharge, both maintained ~20A current, but LIBs performed better in voltage retention and duration.

Conclusion

As seen from the above graphs, it is clear that sodium-ion batteries are superior to lithium-ion batteries in various ways. Firstly, when being charged, the sodium-ion battery reaches a full charge much faster compared to the lithium-ion battery. While it takes almost 180 minutes for the lithium-ion battery to reach full charge, the sodium-ion battery achieves that in about 120 minutes. This means that the sodium-ion batteries can be charged quicker, something that is quite useful when one needs speed. Additionally, while looking at voltage during charging, the sodium-ion battery shows less fluctuation with a more smooth and consistent growth, while lithium-ion battery\'s voltage fluctuates more. Level voltage is desirable because it will put less strain on the battery and make it longer lasting. Even though both batteries are charged with the same current, the sodium-ion battery also makes better use of the current. When discharging, both batteries are almost the same, with the same voltage and state of charge drops over time. This means that sodium-ion batteries can supply energy as much as lithium-ion batteries. Overall, sodium-ion batteries charge faster but also deliver acceptable stability and performance on use, and thus they are a solid and good alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Muppidi Vamsi Krishna, Dharni Adithya Shivaram, Durgam Anjanna, Dr. T. Murali Krishna. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.