CATL Launches Tener Sodium-Ion Storage System With 30-Year Lifespan

A Lithium-Free Leap for Grid Storage

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited, better known as CATL, has launched its Tener sodium-ion energy storage system at a product event in Munich, Germany. The company is positioning the launch as the start of a new era for grid-scale battery storage, one built entirely without lithium. Designed for utility-scale deployments, the system achieves 15,000 charge-discharge cycles at 25°C, yielding a projected service life of 25 to 30 years based on a 70% state-of-health standard. That is roughly double the longevity of most lithium iron phosphate installations operating today.

The Numbers Behind the System

Each Tener module exceeds 30 MWh of rated energy capacity while weighing less than 42 tons, meaning a full 1 GWh site can be assembled from just 34 modules. The system retains over 92% of its capacity at -20°C thanks to what CATL calls its dipole wide-temperature technology, and it supports more than 10,000 cycles at 45°C without forced cooling or extra insulation. CATL also says it has cut the system's self-consumption rate to 1%, half the industry average of 2%, through an optimised top-ventilation design and liquid cooling architecture. Noise output sits at 65 dB, around 10 dB lower than conventional equipment, making the system better suited to deployment near towns and cities.

Supply Chain and Scale

CATL says it has built a complete sodium-ion supply chain, with mass production of anode and cathode materials already under way. The company is expanding manufacturing with 40 GWh of capacity in Fuding and plans for a further 160 GWh in Jining. In April, CATL signed a 60 GWh sodium-ion battery supply agreement with energy storage integrator HyperStrong, the largest sodium-ion order ever placed, covering a three-year partnership. Domestic shipments to China are scheduled to begin in September 2026, with a target of 1 GWh delivered by year's end, and a global rollout planned for 2027.

Why Sodium, Why Now

The launch follows CATL's announcement at a May forum that it would introduce a series of mass-produced sodium-ion products in 2026 across passenger vehicles, commercial fleets, battery-swapping networks, and stationary storage. Sodium-ion chemistry relies on abundant, low-cost materials and sidesteps the supply-chain vulnerabilities tied to lithium, though it currently offers lower energy density. CATL's earlier sodium-ion cells have reached up to 175 Wh/kg and passed China's latest national battery standard for EV traction applications. Crucially, the Tener system is compatible with existing lithium-ion storage platforms, allowing integration without site redesigns, a feature that could speed adoption amongst operators already invested in CATL's lithium-based infrastructure.