In a pioneering step for the EV industry, mass production of the JAC Yiwei EV, the first electric vehicle in the world to be powered by a sodium-ion battery, has commenced in China.
What Happened: According to a report from Car News China, the JAC Yiwei EV is backed by Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC) and the Volkswagen Group (OTC:VWAGY) and is expected to begin delivering vehicles in January 2024. The Yiwei EV is powered by a cylindrical sodium-ion pack from Beijing-based HiNa Battery and utilizes JAC's UE (Unitized Encapsulation) module technology.
JAC, 50% owned by the state and the Volkswagen Group, established Yiwei as a new EV brand in 2023. Volkswagen’s significant investment in China’s state-owned carmaker in 2020 sparked controversy among VW’s JV partners, SAIC and FAW.
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