In 2026, the correction in lithium carbonate prices drove up lithium battery production costs. Coupled with uncertainties in lithium resources supply, cost pressure across the new energy industry became increasingly prominent. Leveraging the advantages of abundant sodium resources, balanced distribution, and controllable costs, sodium-ion batteries have leapt from being a “backup option” for lithium batteries to a key direction for industry breakthrough...

[Lead-Acid Battery Enterprise Updates] Chilwee Group recently disclosed that after the large-scale commissioning of its sodium-ion batteries, they have continued to sell strongly, with all orders for this year already locked in. Its two existing production lines have been operating at full capacity, and eight additional production lines have entered the installation and commissioning stage. At present, the company has 4.5 Gwh of sodium-ion battery capacity and opened its first directly operated sodium-ion battery store in 2025, attempting to directly encourage end-use consumers to replace the lead-acid or lithium batteries in some two-wheeler models with sodium-ion batteries.

[Lead-Acid Battery Market Updates] Recently, Gao Shiyuan, Zhang Shuxiang, Xue Shengfan, and others from Zhaoqing Leoch Power Supply Technology Co., Ltd. proposed improving the cycle life of lead-carbon batteries by adding trace amounts of adamantane-functionalized graphite to the negative active material. The China National Intellectual Property Administration published their invention patent application on March 10, 2026, with publication number CN 121641871 A and application number 202511865459.2.

On March 19, EVE's "Longquan No. 3" and "Longquan No. 4" all-solid-state batteries officially rolled off the production line on March 17, marking a crucial step forward for EVE in the industrialisation of solid-state batteries. The two all-solid-state batteries launched this time are major outcomes of EVE's technological R&D in the field of solid-state batteries and also an important milestone on the enterprise's path of technological innovation. Tailored for different application scenarios, the two batteries achieved precise alignment between performance and use cases. Among them, "Longquan No. 3" is aimed primarily at the consumer sector, can operate in a low-pressure environment below 2 MPa, and offers the core advantage of high volumetric energy density; "Longquan No. 4" focuses on the power sector, with its capacity increased to 60 Ah, and can complete cycling under pressure of ≤5 MPa, already demonstrating initial potential for practical application.

This week (March 13, 2026–March 19, 2026), multiple enterprises in the solid-state battery sector were active: Dali Times commenced construction of a 2 GWh specialized semi-solid-state battery base; EVE’s Longquan Phase III/IV all-solid-state batteries rolled off the line in Chengdu; Chery released its 600 Wh/kg Rhino all-solid-state battery technology。

On March 18, the Chairman of Chery Automobile stated that Chery's solid-state battery pilot production line has developed cells with different energy density levels and is currently conducting extensive rigorous testing. Chery's future investment in all-solid-state batteries will have no upper limit. It is reported that Chery's Rhino Battery S series includes a 60Ah, 400Wh/kg solid-state battery utilizing a sulfide-based solid electrolyte system and high-nickel ternary cathode materials; and a 600Wh/kg solid-state battery using an in-situ polymerization solid electrolyte system and lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials, achieving a range of over 1500+ km.

According to Gu Chunshan, Vice President of Chery Automobile, as the countdown to mass production and popularization begins, all-solid-state batteries have become the focus of attention for both the industry and users, and Chery will place no upper limit on its future investment in all-solid-state batteries. It is reported that Chery's Rhino Battery S Series 60Ah, 400Wh/kg solid-state battery uses a sulphide-based solid electrolyte system and high-nickel ternary cathode material; the 600Wh/kg solid-state battery uses an in-situ polymerization solid electrolyte system and lithium-rich manganese cathode material, with a driving range of over 1,500 km, and the company aims to carry out vehicle validation by 2027.

[Lead-Acid Battery End-Use Market Updates] Recently, the China Government Procurement Network and the China Government Service Purchasing Information Platform released the "Supplementary Procurement Announcement for UPS Batteries for Building 1 of the East China Cloud Computing Base." The announcement stated that a tender was launched for the supplementary procurement and installation of UPS batteries for Building 1 of the East China Cloud Computing Base, requiring the parallel addition of 1–2 battery sets based on the existing UPS battery system, with a project budget of 1 million yuan.

Jiujiang Tinci High-Tech Materials has received regulatory approval for its 500,000-ton/year electrolyte project. With a total investment of 542 million yuan, the facility will be located in the Jiujiang Hukou High-Tech Industrial Park, Jiangxi. The project features a dual-track production layout: 450,000 tons/year for lithium-ion batteries and 50,000 tons/year for sodium-ion batteries. Construction is scheduled to commence in March 2026 and reach completion by December 2026, signaling a significant scale-up in the sodium-ion battery supply chain.

[SMM Magnesium Express] Fraunhofer's "Powerpaste" magnesium hydride hydrogen storage technology faces critical analysis. Producing 1kg H₂ requires ~10kg paste and 9kg pure water, with upstream magnesium production consuming 80-110 kWh electricity. Full system energy density comparable to batteries but efficiency only ~10%, with extremely low power output and complex thermal management. The technology remains chemically interesting but thermodynamically challenged, unable to scale beyond tiny demonstration systems.