The first portable sodium-ion battery!

Although lithium prices have been falling recently, this has not deterred electric vehicle manufacturers from looking for alternatives. Among all the technologies, sodium-ion batteries currently stand out. Sodium is significantly cheaper than lithium, is widespread throughout the world, is easy to obtain and recycle, and therefore the production of sodium-ion batteries is affordable. In addition, it has some other positive properties, such as a longer lifespan and the possibility of faster charging. Natron claims that their batteries charge 10 times faster than lithium-ion and that they survive 50,000 cycles.

It is therefore not surprising that Elecom chose a sodium-ion battery for the production of its new portable battery. The new 9,000 mAh portable battery has numerous advantages compared to lithium-ion batteries. It can easily withstand very cold temperatures (down to -35 degrees Celsius) and can withstand up to 5,000 charging cycles without noticeable losses compared to the 500 cycles of classic batteries.

The Elecom portable battery offers a charging capacity of up to 45 watts via the USB-C PD interface and 18 watts via the USB-A interface. The portable battery weighs 350 grams and measures only 87 x 31 x 106 millimeters. The novelty is available in black (DE-C55L-9000BK) and gray (DE-C55L-9000LGY) colors. The portable sodium-ion battery from Elecom is currently only sold in Japan and is not too expensive. Its retail price is set at the calculated 62 euros.