Sodium-ion battery cells already near lithium-ion cost parity, set to get cheaper

By 2050, sodium-ion batteries with fast learning rates could deliver storage at $12.76 – $16.24/MWh – cheaper than lithium-ion at $18.56 – $25.52/MWh – while also offering higher energy-to-power ratios and high cycle durability, a new research finds.

January 9, 2026 Marija Maisch

Image: Southern Power Grid

From ESS News

Any technology aiming to compete with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) faces the challenge of rapidly declining costs for this already ubiquitous technology. As LIBs continue to expand their market dominance, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are still waiting for their moment to shine.

However, a new study led by researchers at Finland’s LUT University finds that, although SIBs have yet to achieve widespread market adoption, their cells are already approaching cost parity with LIBs.

“Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are not yet in full roll-out for electric vehicle applications, as energy density remains a limiting factor. While SIBs are already cost-competitive with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), their gravimetric energy density still lags behind. This gap may close once solid-state SIBs enter the market,” Dominik Keiner, junior researchers at LUT School of Energy Systems, tells ESS News.

However, the first commercial utility-scale battery energy storage facilities are now being constructed and commissioned, including projects at the 100 MWh scale. “This demonstrates that SIBs are on the verge of full-scale market entry. Once supply chains are established and economies of scale take effect, there is essentially nothing to prevent sodium-ion batteries from fully taking over the market, provided that existing LIB lock-ins are manageable,” he says.

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