Sodium Modular Advanced Rechargeable Technology for Smart Cities and Connected Society
Period: 01.07.2026 – 30.06.2029
Project manager:
Prof. Dr. Robert Dominko (project manager at UL FME Assist. Prof. Dr. Klemen Zelič)
The main objective of the SMART project is to develop reliable, cost-effective, and predictable modular battery packs based on the emerging sodium-ion battery (SIB) technology. Sodium-ion technology represents a sustainable and geopolitically secure alternative to the currently dominant lithium-ion batteries. Sodium is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, with an estimated availability in the Earth’s crust approximately 1,000 times greater than that of lithium. Furthermore, sodium extraction is significantly less energy-intensive and has a lower environmental impact. Sodium-ion batteries offer a high level of safety due to their reduced risk of thermal runaway, a wide operating temperature range (from −20 °C to +60 °C), and a long service life, as they can withstand deep discharge cycles, making them particularly well suited for renewable energy storage applications.
The research consortium will establish a comprehensive digitalized platform for battery cell evaluation, redesign battery management systems (BMS), develop dedicated safety components, and build a fully functional 200 kWh prototype, which will be tested under real operating conditions at the TAB industrial site. Through these activities, the project contributes to the transition towards smart, sustainable, and climate-neutral cities.