The founding battery mastermind, Chen Liquan, received the peak national scientific honor for historic cell manufacturing contributions. Credit: CNC Understand China EV’s Market Real-time notifications when critical EV data is released All important data in one place 2,000,000+ data points Become a member Sodium-ion battery chemistry took centre stage at the national science awards in Beijing on July 8, 2026. The founding pioneer of the battery sector, Chen Liquan, received the National Highest Science and Technology Award for his historic contributions to manufacturing, according to China Daily. During his address, the scientist urged the automotive industry to accelerate the development of cell manufacturing alternatives to address global resource bottlenecks. Developing localised engineering alternatives protects automotive manufacturing groups from external mineral supply risks. The presentation highlighted advanced solidification techniques and platform architectures optimised for heavy logistics operations. These material adjustments aim to secure vehicle assembly lines by utilising abundant regional natural resources. Core vision speech The laureate stated that a nation cannot maintain an industrial lead by simply replicating foreign technologies. True industrial security requires a distinct vision and independent material innovations to eliminate foreign mineral dependencies. The address emphasised the need to build independent hardware architectures to safeguard vehicle production volumes amid volatility in international trade. This strategic directive addresses resource constraints, given that the domestic new energy vehicle sector remains highly dependent on external supply chains. By accelerating alternative cell programs, manufacturers can insulate long-term factory output across high-volume automotive tiers. The pioneer concluded that alternative chemistries function as an essential stabilising anchor for the broader automotive sector. Hardware cell technology Scaling alternative cell production requires upstream chemical-material shifts to bypass volatile global trade networks. Industrial suppliers are expanding a specialised process for sodium battery coal anodes to replace high-cost synthetic graphite options. This shift utilises local carbon resources, protecting battery margins across budget vehicle segments. Recent testing shows that mass-produced alternative cells are approaching cost parity with traditional lithium iron phosphate options. Certified data confirms that CATL Changan sodium cells reached a production cost benchmark of 0.051 USD per watt-hour. These verified packs deliver an energy density of 175 Wh/kg, providing sufficient capability to power heavy commercial hauliers. Hina Battery integrated these concepts into active vehicle lines by establishing its corporate headquarters in Wuhan. The supplier is building a 2 GWh sodium pack line to serve nearby commercial transport operations and 115,000 cargo vessels along the Yangtze River. These configurations maintain a 90% capacity retention level at -20°C, addressing critical winter drop-off challenges for Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles. Market share shifts China EV DataTracker May 2026 data confirms CATL led the market with 33.08 GWh of installations, securing a 46.7% share, followed by BYD at 11.87 GWh with 16.8%. Second-tier suppliers Gotion High-tech, Calb, Eve Energy, and Rept Battero held market shares ranging from 6.3% to 3.7%. The remaining top rankings belonged to Zenergy, Sunwoda, Energee, and LG Energy Solution. This alternative hardware transition secures long-term volume stability for upcoming vehicle lines.