Start-ups worldwide are racing to develop new battery technologies using materials like sodium and sulphur or other innovative chemistries, aiming to cut costs and reduce reliance on some critical minerals to supply electric vehicles.

China controls 85% of the global battery cell production, and 90% of processing of raw materials used in two lithium-ion variants that dominate today’s EV market.

Battery technology is evolving fast, but the basic principle remains unchanged, with three key components — a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte.

Read: Every electric car you can buy in South Africa right now – with pricing

As car makers weigh long-term options, here is a look at the various battery types currently in use or under development.

Lead

What: Used in existing 6V or 12V batteries to power car starters
Pros: Cheap, works in extreme conditions
Cons: Heavy and low energy

Nickel-cadmium (Ni-CD)

What: Rechargeable batteries

Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH)

What: Technology used on Toyota’s first Prius, a precursor to hybrids, in 1997

Sodium nickel chloride

What: Has been used on the Venturi Automobiles fleet of the French postal service
Pros: Smaller, this battery can be fitted to existing vehicles without having to convert them
Cons: Top speed limited to 100km/h, range limited to 100km

Lithium metal polymer (LMP)

What: Used in Bolloré Pininfarina BlueCar model, Parisian car-sharing service Autolib, both now discontinued; technology now used mainly for stationary storage, buses and trams
Pros: “Dry” technology on the capacitor principle, easier industrial process
Cons: Requires pre-heating and maintaining the battery at a certain temperature

Lithium-ion

What: The most widespread technology today, used in phone and laptop batteries, electric cars and other devices, first commercialised in 1991 by Sony
Pros: Lithium is the second most energetic metal after uraniuy, increasingly high top speed and range, no charge memory, fast and slow charging possible
Cons: Weight and sensitivity to external conditions (cold, vibrations), so-called “liquid” batteries which require close control of the risks of overheating

Two lithium-ion technology families dominate the EV market:

NMC (nickel manganese cobalt): Features high energy density but at a cost more suited to large vehicles. Cobalt comes mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the conditions for extracting the metal pose strategic and ethical issues; and
LFP (lithium iron phosphate):
- Pros: Eliminates the need for cobalt, more affordable technology suitable for smaller vehicles
- Cons: Lower energy density than NMC

Sodium-ion

Pros: Eliminates the need for lithium, nickel or cobalt, metals that are currently highly sought after, replaced by aluminium, iron and manganese. Since sodium is much more abundant than lithium, extraction and supply are easier and less expensive. Non-flammable, can withstand up to 50 000 recharge cycles, five to 10 times more than lithium-ion
Cons: Lower energy density, almost non-existent supply of this type of batteries currently, interest linked to the price of lithium

Lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO)

Pros: Eliminates the need for cobalt. Renault argues that this technology, which it expects to deliver by 2028, combines the energy density of NMC, the cost and safety of LFP, and recharge times of less than 15 minutes
Cons: Still in development

Lithium-sulphur

Pros: Stellantis-backed US start-up Lyten, which bought most of the assets of bankrupt Swedish battery maker Northvolt, claims that this technology has more than twice the energy density of lithium-ion. It also eliminates the need for nickel, cobalt and manganese and ensures greater independence since some of the raw materials can be produced locally, in North America and Europe
Cons: No deployment before 2028

Read: Toyota to enter South Africa’s EV market with three models

Solid-state batteries

What: A solid electrolyte (polymer, ceramic) replaces the liquid electrolyte of lithium-ion technology
Pros: Higher energy density, lighter, non-flammable
Cons: Still under development, no large-scale production yet. — Gilles Guillaume, additional reporting by Nick Carey, translated by Alessandro Parodi and Marie Mannes, (c) 2025 Reuters

Sources: futura-sciences.com, Plastec, Saft (TotalEnergies), Renault, Arkema, other companies

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