JAC Motors will produce the first electric car with a sodium-ion battery. Deliveries will start in January

Chinese automaker JAC Motors, a joint venture with Volkswagen, is preparing to launch the first mass-produced electric vehicle (EV) with a sodium-ion battery under the new Yiwei brand, writes Engadget.

Sodium-ion battery technology is less developed than lithium-ion. However, their lower cost, greater supply, and superior cold-weather performance may help accelerate the mass adoption of electric vehicles.

Deliveries of the JAC Yiwei EV hatchback are expected to begin in January. It appears to be a rebranded version of the Sehol E10X, which was announced earlier this year. The Sehol model is described as having a range of 252 km and a battery capacity of 25 kWh.

As you know, Volkswagen has a 75 percent stake in JAC and management control over it. The concern also owns a 50% stake in Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Holdings (JAG). This is the parent company of JAC. The Chinese government owns the other half of JAG, which creates one of the strangest pairs in the automotive industry.