HiNa Sodium-ion Battery Cells and Materials

HiNa Battery Technology was registered in 2017 to commercialise sodium-ion battery technology from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where the research team of Hu Yongsheng began sodium-ion work in 2011 under academician Chen Liquan. Based in Haidian District, Beijing, it addresses the cost, resource and safety limits of lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries by using abundant sodium.

HiNa supplies sodium-ion cells together with materials, including anode material, electrolyte and customised electrode materials, and holds several core sodium-ion patents. Its cells reach 145 Wh/kg, about three times lead-acid, and are applied in e-bikes, low-speed EVs, commercial vehicles, mining trucks, telecom base stations, data centres, home storage and grid-scale storage. The company unveiled a sodium-ion low-speed EV in 2018 and a sodium-ion energy storage station in 2019.

• Sodium-ion cells: cells at 145 Wh/kg for mobility and storage applications.
• Anode material: sodium-ion anode material sold as a standard product.
• Electrolyte: sodium-ion electrolyte supplied to cell makers.
• Custom materials: electrode materials developed on customer request.
• Vehicle integration: sodium-ion packs validated in commercial vehicles and electric mining trucks.
• Stationary storage: solutions for telecom base stations, data centres, home and grid storage.

Electric two-wheeler makers in Vietnam could test sodium-ion packs as a cheaper, safer replacement for lead-acid batteries. Telecom operators could evaluate sodium-ion cells for base station backup in hot climates. Battery assemblers could source HiNa anode material and electrolyte to build local sodium-ion cells.

HiNa cells reach an energy density of 145 Wh/kg, about three times that of lead-acid batteries, while relying on sodium rather than scarce lithium. The company targets low cost, long life and high safety, and offers materials as well as cells, so customers can source anode material and electrolyte or co-develop customised materials.

Sodium-ion batteries are entering volume production as a lower-cost, safer alternative to lithium-ion and lead-acid for two-wheelers, low-speed vehicles and stationary storage. In Southeast Asia, where e-bikes, motorbikes and telecom backup systems are widespread and lead-acid still dominates, sodium-ion is drawing interest from vehicle makers and storage integrators.

HiNa was registered in 2017 as a spin-off from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with offices in Haidian District, Beijing and Liyang, Jiangsu. Academician Chen Liquan, a technical leader, received China's 2025 National Top Science and Technology Award. Partners include FAW Jiefang, Tongli Heavy Industry and Korea's VOLTA, which signed a strategic agreement with a 10 GWh long-term order in September 2026.