We’ve seen a lot of different attempts to come up with more efficient designs for batteries over the years (including the groundbreaking EV solid state battery that holds almost double the charge of some Tesla EVs), as well as some ways to possibly move past your typical lithium-ion batteries entirely. In fact, just recently, we have seen researchers making great strides towards bringing sodium-ion batteries to a scalable level. These so-called lithium-free batteries have a lot of potential for powering devices in the future, but there are some big drawbacks to overcome.
One type of design researchers have been trying to get to a scalable level are sodium-sulfur batteries. Researchers say they are far more sustainable and affordable than lithium-ion batteries. But, so far, they’ve had a big problem getting them to work as they often require high temperatures to operate. This means that any attempt at lower temperature variations suffers from low voltages and requires a lot of metallic sodium to operate — which makes the batteries extremely flammable.
However, a group of researchers believe they may have figured out how to overcome these drawbacks drawbacks. The trick, based on the findings shared in a 2026 study, is to utilize a new chemical makeup for sulfur that can operate at the same voltages as lithium-ion batteries. The result is an entirely new type of sulfur battery that doesn’t rely on any kind of anode. Perhaps with this research, we won’t need to wait for a cool new car to change the future of EV batteries, as replacing lithium-ion batteries in EVs could be more possible than ever.
Reinventing how we think of batteries
Unlike traditional batteries, which include a metal slab on the negative side — an anode — this new design from the researchers is actually anode-free. Instead, the first charge moves sodium from the electrolyte plates in the battery to a current collector. This allows the negative electrode to form in the battery itself. This has a number of positive effects.
First, it means that the researchers didn’t need to preload the battery cell with a lot of excess sodium to create the anode beforehand. Secondly, because there is less reactive metal in the system as a whole, it becomes much safer to utilize. Finally, because there is less dead mass being carried around, the researchers say that the battery has a higher energy density than previous designs. Reports suggest these improvements absolutely remarkable and could help provide a better foundation for these types of batteries going forward. Further, because the density is so much higher, the batteries have a more consistent energy storage system, giving them an longer life cycle.
Finally, the new design could completely undercut the current production costs for standard lithium-ion batteries, which can range from $40 to $140 per kilowatt-hour. That’s because the researchers estimate that the sodium-sulfur batteries will only cost around $5.03 per kilowatt-hour to produce. Of course, these batteries wouldn’t replace what we’re already seeing in smartphones and laptops. But they would help immensely with new designs for things like next generation solar power systems housing solar panels that don’t need sunlight to function.
