EV Battery Types Compared: LFP, NMC, Sodium-Ion and Solid-State

Most electric cars sold today use one of two kinds of lithium-ion battery. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) is the cheaper and now the more common. Nickel-based cells such as nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) store more energy per kilogram and so deliver more range. Sodium-ion is a newer option that copes well with cold but stores less energy. All-solid-state batteries are still prototypes.

LFP and NMC are named for the materials in the cathode, the positive electrode. The usual yardstick is energy density in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). A higher figure means more range for the same weight. The figures below come from the International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook 2026, published in May 2026.

• LFP: up to 205 Wh/kg in the latest cells. It accounted for more than 55% of EV batteries deployed worldwide in 2025.
• NMC: about 265 Wh/kg. Nickel-based chemistries such as NMC made up almost 80% of EV batteries deployed outside China in 2025.
• Sodium-ion: up to 175 Wh/kg. Factory capacity equals just over 1% of lithium-ion cell capacity.
• Solid-state: all-solid-state cells were still at the prototype stage.

What is the difference between LFP and NMC batteries?

The trade-off is cost against range. BloombergNEF's December 2025 battery price survey put average LFP pack prices at $81 per kilowatt-hour against $128 for NMC. Those averages cover all market segments, including grid storage. The IEA notes that storage packs mostly use LFP, which accounts for part of the chemistry's price advantage.

LFP deployment is concentrated in China, the IEA found. The chemistry made up more than 10% of EV battery demand in the European Union in 2025. Its U.S. share almost halved that year as tariffs on Chinese imports rose and tax credit sourcing rules tightened.

LFP also contains no cobalt. Cobalt prices doubled after the Democratic Republic of the Congo restricted exports in 2025, the IEA says. The country is the source of almost two-thirds of global supply, the agency says.

A 2023 perspective in the journal Nature Communications describes LFP as thermally stable enough to allow large cells with less demanding thermal management. It also notes that high-nickel packs are typically held to a narrower charging range to preserve their lifespan. LFP packs do not face that restriction, it notes.

Are sodium-ion batteries ready for electric cars?

Sodium-ion cells swap lithium for sodium, which is more abundant. The first sodium-ion car was introduced in China in late 2023, according to the IEA. On February 5, 2026 CATL and Changan unveiled what they called the first mass-production passenger vehicle with sodium-ion batteries. The announcement said the car would reach the market by mid-2026. It claimed a range of more than 400 kilometers.

Planned volumes are modest. On June 24, 2026 CATL's chief manufacturing officer told Bloomberg the company expected 10,000 to 20,000 EVs to carry its sodium-ion batteries that year.

Cold weather is the chemistry's strength. The latest sodium-ion cells keep about 90% of their capacity at -40°C, the IEA says. It says they outperform LFP at low temperatures.

The weaknesses are range and, for now, cost. The IEA estimates that an average SUV with a sodium-ion pack would travel up to 350 kilometers. Its estimate for lithium-ion is 400 to 600 kilometers. Sodium-ion cells cost about $59 per kilowatt-hour on average, MIT Technology Review reported in February 2026. That is more than the $52 for LFP cells, it reported. Lithium prices more than doubled between early 2025 and early 2026, the IEA says, which could narrow the gap. The agency sees sodium-ion as better suited to small, short-range cars, light commercial vehicles in cities and two- and three-wheelers.

Where do solid-state batteries and silicon anodes fit?

Solid-state batteries replace a lithium-ion cell's liquid electrolyte with a solid one. The IEA said in May 2026 that all-solid-state cells were being made only at small scale for testing.

Silicon anodes are an upgrade to lithium-ion cells rather than a separate type. The anode, the negative electrode, is normally made of graphite. Silicon versions could lift a cell's energy density by up to 50%, TechCrunch reported. Its report came when U.S. startup Sila opened a silicon anode plant in Moses Lake, Washington, in September 2025. The plant can initially supply material for 20,000 to 50,000 EVs. Sila had supply agreements with Panasonic and Mercedes at the time.

How long do EV batteries last?

Today's EV batteries may last 12 to 15 years in moderate climates, according to modeling cited by the U.S. Department of Energy. In extreme climates the modeling gives 8 to 12 years. Several manufacturers offer battery warranties of 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Laboratory tests may understate that. A Stanford and SLAC study was published in Nature Energy in December 2024. It tested 92 commercial lithium-ion cells for more than two years. The tests compared standard constant discharge with patterns based on real driving. The researchers concluded that batteries in normal use could last about a third longer than generally forecast.

The bottom line

No chemistry wins on every measure. LFP leads on price, NMC on range per kilogram and sodium-ion on cold-weather performance. Sodium-ion is only beginning to scale, though. All-solid-state cells remain prototypes.