As EVs become increasingly common on the roads, the battery world is growing too. Looking ahead, we could soon see wider adoption of new chemistries, including some that deliver lower costs or higher performance. Meanwhile, the geopolitics of batteries are shifting, and so is the policy landscape. Here’s what’s coming next for EV batteries in 2026 and beyond.
* **A big opportunity for sodium-ion batteries:** Sodium-ion cells have long been held up as a potentially less expensive alternative to lithium. The batteries are limited in their energy density, so they deliver a shorter range than lithium-ion. But sodium is also more abundant, so they could be cheaper.
* **Major tests for solid-state batteries:** As we enter the second half of this decade, many eyes in the battery world are on big promises and claims about solid-state batteries. These batteries could pack more energy into a smaller package by removing the liquid electrolyte, the material that ions move through when a battery is charging and discharging. With a higher energy density, they could unlock longer-range EVs.
* **A global patchwork:** The picture for the near future of the EV industry looks drastically different depending on where you’re standing. Last year, China overtook Japan as the country with the [most global auto sales](https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/china-auto-brands-to-top-2025-global-sales-overtaking-japanese-rivals). And more than one in three EVs made in 2025 [had a CATL battery in it](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-12-23/ev-battery-giant-catl-s-expansion-plans-face-trump-and-european-pushback). Simply put, China is dominating the global battery industry, and that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon. On the flip side, EVs are facing a real test in 2026 in the US, as this will be the first calendar year after the sunset of federal tax credits that were designed to push more drivers to purchase the vehicles. With those credits gone, growth in sales is expected to continue lagging.
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**From the article:**
As EVs become increasingly common on the roads, the battery world is growing too. Looking ahead, we could soon see wider adoption of new chemistries, including some that deliver lower costs or higher performance. Meanwhile, the geopolitics of batteries are shifting, and so is the policy landscape. Here’s what’s coming next for EV batteries in 2026 and beyond.
* **A big opportunity for sodium-ion batteries:** Sodium-ion cells have long been held up as a potentially less expensive alternative to lithium. The batteries are limited in their energy density, so they deliver a shorter range than lithium-ion. But sodium is also more abundant, so they could be cheaper.
* **Major tests for solid-state batteries:** As we enter the second half of this decade, many eyes in the battery world are on big promises and claims about solid-state batteries. These batteries could pack more energy into a smaller package by removing the liquid electrolyte, the material that ions move through when a battery is charging and discharging. With a higher energy density, they could unlock longer-range EVs.
* **A global patchwork:** The picture for the near future of the EV industry looks drastically different depending on where you’re standing. Last year, China overtook Japan as the country with the [most global auto sales](https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/china-auto-brands-to-top-2025-global-sales-overtaking-japanese-rivals). And more than one in three EVs made in 2025 [had a CATL battery in it](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-12-23/ev-battery-giant-catl-s-expansion-plans-face-trump-and-european-pushback). Simply put, China is dominating the global battery industry, and that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon. On the flip side, EVs are facing a real test in 2026 in the US, as this will be the first calendar year after the sunset of federal tax credits that were designed to push more drivers to purchase the vehicles. With those credits gone, growth in sales is expected to continue lagging.