NanoMalaysia Unveils High-Performance 300wh/kg Sodium-Ion Battery Prototype

KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 (Bernama) -- NanoMalaysia Bhd (NMB) has achieved a major milestone in Malaysia’s energy storage ambitions with the development of a graphene-enhanced sodium-ion battery prototype delivering an energy density exceeding 300 watt-hours per kilogramme (Wh/kg), among the highest in the world.

NMB, an agency under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI), said the prototype was developed by NMB’s projects team in collaboration with International Battery Centre Sdn Bhd.

“The technology has reached the prototype validation stage, marking a key step toward further development and commercial readiness,” it said in a statement today.

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Developed under the NanoMalaysia Energy Storage Technology Initiative (NESTI), the sodium-ion battery utilises a NASICON-based sodium vanadium phosphate (NVP) cathode integrated with graphene nano-additives to enhance electrochemical performance, energy density, and structural stability for next-generation energy storage.

NMB chief executive officer Rezal Khairi Ahmad said that by surpassing 300 Wh/kg at the prototype stage, it is demonstrated that sodium-ion technology can deliver strong performance comparable to that of lithium-ion while addressing cost, safety, and material sustainability challenges.

“Through NESTI, we are advancing Malaysia’s energy storage ecosystem, driving technology development, scale-up, and commercialisation to strengthen our position in the regional battery value chain.

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“The said technology represents an important shift away from lithium dependence and positions Malaysia as one of the leading technology giants in the battery market,” he said.

Rezal Khairi noted that multiple partnerships with industrial off-takers are crucial in the next steps of climbing the technology readiness level, ensuring that the interests of local and international private investors are secured.

The global sodium-ion battery market is projected to grow from US$1.8 billion in 2025 to US$12.5 billion by 2035, a nearly seven-fold expansion at a compound annual growth rate of about 21.4 per cent. (US$1=RM3.90)

NMB said that as the country’s leading nanotechnology commercialisation agency under MOSTI, it continues to advance local capabilities across lithium-ion, sodium-ion, next-generation batteries, and energy storage systems, enabling industry partnerships, pilot manufacturing, and standards development to strengthen Malaysia’s role in the regional battery ecosystem.

-- BERNAMA