I listened to the "WTF are Batteries?" podcast (10 Aug 2026) with Henning Rath of EnerVenue and Kun Tang of HiNa Battery, and I dug into the accompanying PTI/NewsVoir press release (12 Aug 2026). The discussion gave me a beginner‑friendly snapshot of current battery chemistries, safety trends, and where I might allocate capital in 2026.
- Sodium carbonate costs roughly a tenth of lithium carbonate.
- I earmarked $50 million of seed capital for a venture targeting India’s scooter and three‑wheeler market with sodium‑ion batteries.
From the conversation I distilled three actionable decisions: (1) focus my investments on battery technology rather than full EV manufacturing, (2) target sodium‑ion chemistries for scooters and three‑wheelers because of their low material cost, and (3) avoid any designs that rely on rare‑earth elements, as they introduce supply‑risk and cost volatility.