Hina Battery Unveils World's First Sodium-Ion Battery Mining Truck for Heavy-Duty Operations

Sodium-ion battery technology has taken another step beyond passenger vehicles and stationary energy storage with the commercial delivery of a fully electric mining truck in China. Developed jointly by Hina Battery and Shaanxi Tonly Heavy Industries, the new vehicle represents the world's first mining truck powered entirely by a sodium-ion battery system. The launch highlights growing industry efforts to introduce alternative battery chemistries capable of meeting the demanding operating conditions of heavy-duty mining equipment while reducing dependence on diesel-powered machinery.

World's First Sodium-Ion Battery Mining Truck Delivered

The all-electric mining truck was delivered in July to Sanyou Mining, a subsidiary of Tangshan-based Sanyou Group in China. Built on Tonly's 120E series platform, the vehicle is equipped with Hina Battery's proprietary Haixing battery system offering a total energy capacity of 676 kWh. According to the companies, the project demonstrates that sodium-ion battery technology is now capable of supporting demanding commercial mining applications where durability, rapid charging and operational efficiency are essential.

Haixing Battery System Targets Harsh Mining Conditions

Hina Battery introduced its Haixing battery series in March 2025, featuring battery cells with an energy density exceeding 165 Wh/kg. The company stated that the battery pack can be fully recharged within 20 to 25 minutes while maintaining a service life exceeding 8,000 charge cycles even under fast-charging conditions. These characteristics are intended to satisfy mining operators that require high equipment utilization, shorter charging downtime and reliable performance across challenging environmental conditions.

The company explained that sodium-ion batteries provide several advantages for mining operations, including extended cycle life, strong high-rate charging capability and dependable performance across a broad temperature range. Since mining environments often involve dust, extreme weather fluctuations and continuous heavy-duty workloads, these characteristics can help improve equipment reliability while supporting the gradual transition from diesel-powered fleets to electric powertrains.

Mining Truck Battery Specifications

Commercial Vehicle Expansion Continues

The mining truck project represents Hina Battery's second significant commercial vehicle milestone this year. Earlier in June, FAW Jiefang completed systematic road testing of a sodium-ion battery heavy truck jointly developed with Hina Battery. The demonstration vehicle, a Jiefang J6P all-electric tractor, used a 339-kWh sodium-ion battery pack and accumulated more than 15,000 kilometers of testing over nearly seven months. FAW Jiefang reported that the battery maintained more than 90 percent usable capacity at minus 40 degrees Celsius while achieving a fast-charging cycle life exceeding 8,000 cycles.

China's Sodium-Ion Battery Commercialization Accelerates

Several battery and automotive manufacturers in China are accelerating investments in sodium-ion battery technology as they seek alternatives to lithium-based solutions. CATL announced in May that it plans to invest 5 billion yuan to establish 40 GWh of new sodium-ion battery production capacity in Fujian. The company also introduced sodium-ion batteries for light commercial vehicles and collaborated with Changan Automobile to unveil the first mass-produced sodium-ion passenger car. Meanwhile, BYD reported developing sodium-ion batteries capable of 10,000 charge cycles, while BAIC Group introduced prototype batteries with energy densities exceeding 170 Wh/kg.

Cost Remains the Biggest Challenge

Despite recent technical progress, production cost continues to limit wider commercialization. Hina Battery General Manager Li Shujun stated earlier this year that sodium-ion batteries currently cost between 0.5 yuan and 0.7 yuan per Wh, compared with approximately 0.3 yuan to 0.5 yuan per Wh for lithium batteries. He expects pricing between the two technologies to converge during 2027 or 2028, with sodium-ion cell production costs potentially falling to around 0.3 yuan per Wh by 2028, improving competitiveness for large-scale commercial applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Hina Battery's sodium-ion mining truck significant?
The mining truck is considered the world's first all-electric mining vehicle powered by a sodium-ion battery system, demonstrating that sodium-ion technology can support demanding heavy-duty industrial applications. Equipped with a 676-kWh battery pack, the vehicle combines rapid charging, long cycle life and reliable performance across harsh mining environments. Its successful commercial deployment represents an important milestone in expanding sodium-ion batteries beyond passenger vehicles and energy storage into large commercial equipment.

Why are sodium-ion batteries attracting interest for mining vehicles?
Sodium-ion batteries offer several characteristics that suit heavy industrial operations, including long cycle life, broad operating temperature capability and strong fast-charging performance. These advantages help reduce downtime while improving equipment utilization in challenging mining environments. Although current production costs remain higher than lithium batteries, manufacturers expect pricing to become more competitive over the next few years, supporting wider adoption in commercial vehicles and heavy-duty machinery.