Technology

Sodium to Debut in Small Microcars First for Mobility Applications, Reports IDTechEx

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2024

CAMBRIDGE, England, Feb. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ —

Sodium to Debut in Small Microcars First for Mobility Applications, Reports IDTechEx

Author: Shazan Siddiqi, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx

Many people were surprised when HiNa revealed their lineup of sodium-ion battery cells, as well as a prototype of an electric car, in February 2023. But it had been a long time coming. The low-cost Sehol E10X microcar uses a 25 kWh battery pack made from cylindrical sodium-ion cells from HiNa. The business commissioned its first 1 GWh/year production line in December 2022. The complex will host five such lines; another for 30 GWh/year is planned, and more batteries will be manufactured under license.

Plenty of competition, like CATL, Svolt, Farasis, Lifun, DFD, Transimage, and others are currently working on their own sodium-ion batteries to be mass-produced this year. Market analysis by IDTechEx in November 2023 suggests an anticipated growth of approximately 40 GWh of SIBs alone by 2030 at a minimum, but up to an additional 100 GWh of manufacturing capacity is projected if the market is successful by 2025. The scene is set for another upset in the battery industry in the coming years, similar to the large-scale emergence of LFP in 2020.

IDTechEx anticipates that sodium-ion batteries will first penetrate the A00 vehicle segment (small, low-speed EVs) in China as they are mostly used as urban commuters and do not require an extended range. The energy density of A00 class vehicles in production is mainly concentrated between 140 and 160 Wh/kg (pack level), and the cruising range is typically under 250 km, according to IDTechEx research. Current sodium-ion batteries can largely meet these requirements, as shown in the IDTechEx report “Sodium-ion Batteries 2024-2034: Technology, Players, Markets, and Forecasts“, which benchmarks cells from various players in the market.

Very recently, a race has emerged in China to be the first to use sodium-ion cells in high-volume electric microcars, with Farasis, HiNa, and CATL announcing plans to supply sodium-ion cells to JMEV, Sehol, and Chery for use in their A00 class models respectively. A00 electric vehicle manufacturers are highly sensitive to costs, and the application of sodium-ion batteries has certain advantages. In the long run, when sodium-ion batteries can be manufactured at scale, they are expected to have a 20-30% price advantage over Li-ion batteries.

While LFP batteries have improved since 2015, what has improved even more is the engineering of battery packs. The Sehol E10X’s battery pack is air-cooled, using racks of cylindrical cells, retaining an energy density of 120 Wh/kg on the pack level. In terms of weight, this is 96% of the 125 Wh/kg energy density of the 54 kWh LFP pack in the standard range Tesla Model 3 first announced in 2020. But in terms of volume, this air-cooled pack would not be competitive. Nor do the prismatic cells from HiNa with their volumetric energy density of 263-283 Wh/L seem to be a useful replacement for LFP cells with 380-450 Wh/L at first glance. However, the engineering of cell-to-pack (CTP) battery packs has improved immensely even in the few years since they were first talked about in 2019.

CATL announced their sodium-ion batteries in 2021 alongside a prospected integration efficiency of over 80%. Such packs make even first-generation sodium-ion batteries viable as a direct replacement for older generations of cars with LFP battery packs of the early 2020s. Even based on performance, the sodium-based battery would be preferable to cars with older LFP packs. They can fast charge from 10% to 80% within 15 to 20 minutes and only lose 10% of capacity at -20°C. Sodium-ion batteries can also be fully discharged without the risk of catastrophic battery failure upon recharge, as would be the case in lithium-ion batteries due to copper current collectors in the anode.

CATL expects to sell their batteries with Prussian blue cathodes for as little as US$30/kWh to US$45/kWh in mass production due to the lower material cost of iron-based cathode and synthesis without the need for high-temperature calcination. Cells with more advanced layered oxide cathodes are widely expected to reach 200-220 Wh/kg and between 400-500 Wh/l in the next few years before the end of the decade. This will enable EVs to reach over 500 km range without the use of lithium. This will fundamentally change the battery market. However, the energy density of high nickel NMC cathodes is 20-40% higher than any known sodium-based cathodes that might be commercialized.

But this will not make sodium-ion batteries redundant. Cost matters more than energy density. It is important to remember that to this day, there is a 400 GWh/year industry for lead-acid batteries despite their low energy density of just 35 Wh/kg. Sodium-ion batteries, based only on abundant materials like sodium, iron, manganese, carbon, aluminum, and the like, are sufficient for EVs with a practical range of around 300 km — even in their current primitive form. With no constraints on critical resources, this should help alleviate many geopolitical tensions currently building up around access to battery materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite. The IDTechEx report “Sodium-ion Batteries 2024-2034: Technology, Players, Markets, and Forecasts” provides in-depth coverage of this emerging industry.

To find out more about this IDTechEx report, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Sodium.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

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Technology

Greenzie releases 2025 Annual Safety Report, documenting multi-year safety performance at commercial scale

Published

2 hours ago

April 23, 2026

The data shows zero lost-time injuries, zero OSHA medical attentions and zero human near-misses across real-world operation

ATLANTA, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Greenzie, the technology platform powering commercial autonomy across multiple OEMs, today shared multi-year safety data from real-world commercial operation, documenting more than 150,000 autonomous miles with zero lost-time injuries, zero OSHA medical attentions and zero human near-misses. The data is published in Greenzie’s 2025 Annual Safety Report, available at greenzie.com/safety.

The report is based on extensive operational data spanning more than 5.4 billion square feet of turf mowed, 68,000+ hours of autonomous mowing and more than 50,000 operator days, the equivalent of 265 mowing seasons.

“Greenzie is helping define safety in autonomous landscape operations, and transparency is a critical part of that,” said Steve Bush, chief operating officer of Greenzie. “These results show that commercial autonomy is operating safely at meaningful scale in the field. Transparency matters because as this category matures, real-world data helps build confidence in what responsible deployment looks like.”

The report’s findings are particularly significant in the context of the U.S. landscaping industry, which employs roughly 1.3 million workers and experiences a higher-than-average rate of workplace accidents compared to other fields. Greenzie’s multi-year operating data shows that autonomy is not theoretical; it is already being deployed consistently and performing safely at scale.

“Greenzie Powered Autonomy™ has been validated through years of sustained use in the field,” Bush said. “That level of real-world performance reinforces both the reliability of our platform and the broader readiness of commercial autonomy.”

Greenzie attributes this performance to a disciplined safety approach that includes robust perception, tested operating standards and continuous validation in real-world commercial environments.

For more information about Greenzie, visit greenzie.com.

About Greenzie

Founded in 2018, Greenzie is the technology platform powering commercial autonomy. Created to solve the landscape industry’s labor and productivity challenges, Greenzie works with leading equipment manufacturers to deliver the software, navigation and safety systems that enable mowing and other outdoor power equipment to operate autonomously in real-world commercial environments. Today, Greenzie’s platform is running on hundreds of machines in active use, helping manufacturers bring autonomy to market and allowing operators to get more done with limited labor—moving autonomy from early experimentation to everyday operations. For more information, visit greenzie.com.

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SOURCE Greenzie

Technology

CGI renews global SAP S/4HANA operations and SAP BTP operations certifications, reinforcing its consistent, quality delivery at scale

Published

2 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Stock Market Symbols
GIB.A (TSX)
GIB (NYSE)
cgi.com/newsroom

MONTRÉAL, April 23, 2026 /CNW/ – CGI (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, announced that it has achieved the following recertifications for its global operation capabilities:

SAP S/4HANA operations and works with RISE with SAP SAP BTP operations and works with RISE with SAP

These recertifications highlight CGI’s ability to deliver consistent, high-quality managed SAP services and operations across regions, including services aligned with RISE with SAP. CGI’s SAP-based services help clients reduce operational risk, improve performance and efficiency and scale transformation with greater predictability. This also builds on CGI’s SAP alliance relationship momentum, including its recent AWS SAP Competency Partner status which highlights CGI’s expertise in modernizing mission-critical SAP workloads with AI-enabled cloud solutions.

“Running SAP at enterprise scale requires a partner with proven capabilities, delivery discipline and the ability to innovate securely, including through the integration of AI to deliver tangible outcomes,” said Didier Thérond, President, CGI France operations, and Global Executive Sponsor for CGI’s partnership with SAP. “These global recertifications reinforce CGI’s end-to-end SAP capabilities, including AI-enabled services, helping clients operate mission-critical systems with confidence and advance their modernization and cloud strategies.”

“CGI remains a trusted partner in our SAP Operations Partner program, consistently demonstrating a structured and disciplined approach to certification,” said Rudolf Scheipers, VP, Head of SAP Operations Partner Certification, SAP Partner Innovation Lifecycle Services. “These recertifications highlight the company’s mature operating model and commitment to the high standards we expect globally, ensuring clients running SAP environments can rely on consistent, secure, and efficient operations.”

CGI’s global alliance strategy features partnerships with more than 150 technology companies and supports its local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network. Through its SAP alliance, CGI helps organizations accelerate innovation, deploy and manage SAP solutions globally, and deliver industry-specific business outcomes with rapid, scalable, and AI-enabled cloud and ERP services.

About CGI
Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 94,000 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2025 reported revenue is CA$15.91 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com.

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SOURCE CGI Inc.

Technology

Scholastic Corporation Announces Final Results of Modified Dutch Auction Tender Offer

Published

2 hours ago

April 23, 2026

NEW YORK, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scholastic Corporation (the “Company” or “Scholastic”) (Nasdaq: SCHL), the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today announced the final results of its “modified Dutch Auction” tender offer for shares of its common stock, which expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 20, 2026.

Based on the final count by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the tender offer, a total of 2,834,018 shares of Scholastic’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (each share of Scholastic’s common stock, a “Share,” and collectively, “Shares”), were properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at or below the purchase price of $40.00 per Share, including 989,343 Shares that were tendered by notice of guaranteed delivery.

Scholastic has accepted for purchase a total of 2,834,018 Shares through the tender offer at a price of $40.00 per Share, for an aggregate cost of $113,360,720.00, excluding fees and expenses relating to the tender offer. The total of 2,834,018 Shares that Scholastic has accepted for purchase represents approximately 13.7% of the total number of Shares outstanding as of April 19, 2026.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as the dealer manager for the tender offer. Georgeson LLC served as the information agent. Holders of common stock who have questions or need information about the tender offer may call Georgeson LLC at (866) 539-9980 (toll free). Banks and brokers may call Georgeson at (866) 539-9980 or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at (877) 371-5947 (toll free).

About Scholastic

For more than 100 years, Scholastic Corporation (Nasdaq: SCHL) has been meeting children where they are – at school, at home and in their communities – by creating quality content and experiences, all beginning with literacy. Scholastic delivers stories, characters, and learning moments that empower all kids to become lifelong readers and learners through bestselling children’s books, literacy- and knowledge-building resources for schools including classroom magazines, and award-winning, entertaining children’s media. As the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books through school-based book clubs and book fairs, classroom libraries, school and public libraries, retail, and online, and with a global reach into more than 135 countries, Scholastic encourages the personal and intellectual growth of all children, while nurturing a lifelong relationship with reading, themselves, and the world around them. Learn more at www.scholastic.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including the conditions of the children’s book and educational materials markets generally and acceptance of the Company’s products within those markets, and other risks and factors identified from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated.

SCHL: Financial

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SOURCE Scholastic Corporation