Altris, Clarios and InoBat Push Sodium-Ion Batteries Toward Pilot Scale

Swedish sodium-ion battery developer Altris, battery technology company Clarios and European battery manufacturer InoBat are advancing their sodium-ion battery program toward pilot-scale learning and small-series production, following successful validation across demanding automotive and industrial applications.

The partners announced on September 14, 2026, that recent testing had validated sodium-ion battery performance at temperatures as low as –40°C, strengthening the case for the technology in low-voltage and high-power applications. The next phase will use InoBat's pilot manufacturing capabilities in Slovakia.

Sodium-Ion Technology Moves Beyond Prototype Development

The collaboration has moved from technology development and validation toward preparation for pilot-scale production.

Testing has included automotive, commercial vehicle, heavy-duty, off-highway and intralogistics applications. Customer evaluations have also helped the partners refine application requirements and confirm the suitability of the current cell design.

The companies now plan to use pilot-scale production to further develop manufacturing processes and prepare the technology for potential commercialization.

Cold-Weather Performance Reaches –40°C

The partners report that sodium-ion battery testing has demonstrated cold-cranking capability down to –40°C, compared with the previously communicated performance level of –25°C. This is particularly relevant for vehicles and equipment operating in cold climates, where battery performance during starting can be challenging.

The testing was conducted as part of a wider validation program involving both internal testing and evaluations with customers.

Altris Supplies Prussian White Cathode Material

Altris contributes its Fennac® Prussian White cathode active material to the sodium-ion battery program.

The company says the cathode chemistry contains no lithium, nickel or cobalt, while its European scale-up is intended to provide a regional source of sodium-ion cathode material for future cell and battery manufacturers.

Prussian White is a sodium-ion cathode chemistry that uses sodium rather than lithium as the charge-carrying element. The technology is therefore being developed as a complementary battery chemistry for applications where its performance and material characteristics are suitable.

Clarios Focuses on Low-Voltage Automotive Applications

Clarios is bringing its experience in low-voltage battery systems and automotive industrialization to the collaboration.

The company's sodium-ion development program is focused on applications requiring high power and reliable low-voltage performance. The current validation work covers automotive and commercial vehicle applications as well as heavy-duty, off-highway and intralogistics equipment.

The partnership builds on the companies' existing cooperation around Clarios' Power Sodium platform. Clarios and Altris formalized their development relationship through a Joint Development Agreement announced earlier in 2026.

InoBat to Support Pilot-Scale Manufacturing

The next development phase will utilize InoBat's Volta facility in Slovakia.

The facility provides R&D, testing and small-scale manufacturing capabilities, giving the partners an environment to evaluate production processes, mature the cell design and support customer programs before potential larger-scale manufacturing.

This pilot-scale stage is important because moving from laboratory and prototype cells to repeatable manufacturing requires validation of production processes as well as battery performance.

Sodium-Ion as a Complementary Battery Chemistry

Sodium-ion batteries are being developed as an alternative to conventional lithium-ion chemistries for selected applications.

One potential advantage is the availability of sodium-based raw materials and the possibility of reducing dependence on certain critical battery materials. In the Altris-Clarios-InoBat program, the partners are specifically highlighting a cathode chemistry that does not use lithium, nickel or cobalt.

However, sodium-ion technology is not being positioned as a universal replacement for lithium-ion batteries. The partners are targeting applications where characteristics such as high power, low-temperature performance and supply-chain considerations are important.

Building a European Sodium-Ion Supply Chain

The collaboration also has a supply-chain dimension.

Altris brings European sodium-ion cathode-material development, Clarios contributes battery-system integration and automotive expertise, while InoBat provides cell-development and manufacturing capabilities. The companies say the combination is intended to support a more resilient European battery value chain.

Localized production could become increasingly important as European battery manufacturers seek to diversify raw-material and technology supply chains.

From Validation to Small-Series Production

The latest results allow the partners to move into the next stage of development: pilot-scale learning and small-series production readiness.

At this stage, the objective is not yet full commercial-scale production. Instead, the partners will use the pilot environment to validate manufacturing processes, continue customer evaluations and prepare the cell technology for potential broader industrial deployment.

Clarios has previously stated that it intends to introduce serial production of low-voltage sodium-ion batteries before the end of the decade, subject to the development program and industrialization process.

Key Project Facts

Sodium-Ion Technology Enters Its Next Development Phase

The latest validation results mark a transition for the Altris, Clarios and InoBat program from prototype development toward manufacturing readiness.

The combination of Prussian White cathode technology, battery-system expertise and pilot-scale manufacturing gives the partners a platform for further testing and process development.

With cold-cranking performance validated down to –40°C and pilot-scale production now being prepared, the collaboration is moving closer to determining how sodium-ion technology could be deployed commercially in low-voltage and high-power applications.