French battery manufacturer Saft has signed a joint development agreement with US start-up Mana Battery covering anode-free sodium-ion cells for defence and critical-infrastructure applications.
The companies will combine Mana’s proprietary electrolyte and anode-free cell technology with Saft’s expertise in cell design, prototyping, manufacturing, testing and qualification.
Their work will focus on developing and validating cells under the performance and safety conditions required for defence, aerospace, rail, datacentre backup power and industrial uninterruptible power supply systems.
Unlike a conventional sodium-ion cell, the anode-free design is assembled without an anode containing active material such as hard carbon. During the initial charge, sodium supplied by the cathode is deposited onto the negative current collector to form a metallic sodium anode in situ.
Removing the conventional anode material can reduce cell weight and volume and increase energy density. However, commercialisation depends on making the repeated deposition and removal of sodium sufficiently efficient and uniform to provide an acceptable cycle life.
Mana’s proprietary electrolyte
Mana said its proprietary electrolyte had been developed to support this process while improving safety. A US Department of Energy project description identifies the company’s technology as an anode-free sodium cell using low-cost, fluorine-free liquid electrolyte materials.
The agreement follows a technical evaluation that Mana and Saft began in 2025. The companies did not disclose the intended cell format, energy density, cycle life, development timetable or financial terms.
Tyler Evans, CEO of Mana Battery, said: “Saft is exactly the partner we would design for this mission — a battery manufacturer with decades of experience qualifying cells for the world’s most demanding defense, aerospace, rail and industrial customers. This agreement validates the maturity of our electrolyte and anode-free platform and puts it on the fastest possible path from the lab to the field, where its energy density, safety and supply-chain advantages matter most.”
Kamen Nechev, chief technology and innovation officer at Saft, said: “Sodium-ion is a strategically important chemistry for the industries we serve, and anode-free designs are its most promising frontier. Mana Battery brings world-class electrolyte innovation that complements our cell design, manufacturing and qualification capabilities. Together we intend to bring safe, high-performance sodium-ion batteries to defense, aerospace, rail, datacenter and industrial UPS customers.”
Broomfield, Colorado-based Mana was spun out of the University of Colorado Boulder. The company is developing sodium-ion batteries and electrolytes intended to avoid lithium, cobalt and nickel supply constraints.
Saft, a wholly owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies, manufactures batteries for industrial, transport, defence, aerospace and stationary applications. The agreement does not commit either company to commercial production or establish a supply arrangement.
