Lithium-ion batteries have been powering our devices for more than three decades now. With them reaching a saturation point of improvements, we’re starting to see Silicon-Carbon batteries on phones. The latter promises more battery in a similar form factor as traditional batteries. And it looks like battery innovation isn’t stopping soon. A Japanese brand, Elecom claims to have achieved a breakthrough in Sodium-ion batteries with a new powerbank powered by this tech.
The Elecom DE-C55L-9000BK is the world’s first powerbank powered by Sodium-powered batteries, featuring 9,000 mAh capacity. The brand claims this powerbank could last you for almost 13 years and 5,000 charge cycles. That’s about ten times as many cycles as Lithium-ion batteries offer.
In case you didn’t know, Sodium is found in abundance and does not need water or mining. One of the main advantages of Sodium-ion batteries is that they’re far less polluting. But it’s not only a good alternative to Lithium-ion batteries from an environmental perspective. These batteries can operate at -35 to 50°C, which makes them much better at handling extreme temperatures.
It comes with two output ports — 1 x Type-C and 1 x USB-A, with the Type-C port capable of outputting 45W. The USB-A can give out 18W and combined, they can output a pretty respectable 20W. There are LEDs that tell you the current charge capacity. As per the firm’s testing, it can charge an iPhone 16 1.4 times, a 10th Gen iPad 0.6 times, and a 2022 MacBook Air 0.3 times.
The Type-C port can charge the powerbank at 30W. It can output a maximum of 45W and charge at 30W, both at 3 Amps. The firm also claims it supports USB PD and PPS charging. It also offers collective charging, where both the powerbank can be charged while it charges the phone. It’s equipped with all the safety measures, including a Secure circuit design with overcharging and short-circuit protection.
To power it, Elecom has used 3x Sodium batteries, each with 3,000 mAh capacity. The brand claims the 30W fast charging can charge the powerbank in 2 hours. It weighs 350 grams, which is quite the heft in comparison with other similar capacity powerbanks in the market that weigh around 200 grams.
As for the pricing, it costs around $67 (or 9,980 yen) at the Elecom Store. You can preorder it right now, and shipping starts at the end of this month. The price is understandably on the higher spectrum, but that’s because their production levels aren’t that high at the moment. However, one good thing is that Sodium ion batteries are compatible with the infrastructure of Lithium-ion manufacturing. This means no additional investment would be required to start manufacturing them.
However, the element does have its shortcomings. It’s less dense, holds less charge, and is heavier. Besides, it exhausts its upper amperage limit at 5 Amps, unless the battery is upscaled. So, sodium-ion may not be the most viable alternative. At the moment, they may not fully replace Lithium-ion or even Silicon-Carbon batteries, until there’s a major breakthrough. But, we could still see them in budget smartphones, gadgets, or home appliances that operate on lower batteries.
What are your thoughts on Elecom’s Sodium-ion powerbank or Sodium-ion technology in general? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Beebom
