Sodium-ion batteries — like the name might suggest — function similarly to lithium-ion ones, but with sodium instead of lithium. Sodium is more abundantly available and much easier to produce. Sodium-ion batteries are also safer to use. Elecom says the Na Plus can operate in temperatures ranging from around -30 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and is at less risk of fires caused by overheating and thermal runaway.
Sodium-ion batteries might be better suited for applications where size isn’t the primary concern, such as storage systems for renewable energy sources, backup power supplies, or powering vehicles like cargo ships. The Na Plus might be bulky and expensive, but it’s still exciting to see this technology finally reach consumers.
Sodium-ion batteries are simply bigger all around. These batteries have a lower energy density compared to lithium-based batteries, meaning they have to be larger and heavier to store an equivalent amount of energy.
Performance-wise, the Na Plus definitely isn’t the most capable portable charger you can buy. What’s inside is what’s most exciting. Although lithium-ion technology has dominated batteries since the early ‘90s, lithium isn’t an unlimited resource, and mining it (as well as other metals used in batteries like cobalt and nickel) involves energy-intensive processes that can pollute local ecosystems.
