Electrocoating composition

An improved aqueous cathodic electrocoating composition having a binder resin and a crosslinking agent;

• wherein the improvement is the use of a bismuth-sugar solution to provide a catalytic amount of a bismuth compound dispersed in the electrocoating composition, and wherein:
• the electrocoating composition comprises an aqueous dispersion;
• the composition is configured to achieve full crosslinking when cured at a low bake temperature of less than 130° C.;
• the bismuth compound is bismuth subnitrate;
• the bismuth-sugar solution comprises a polyhydroxy compound that is a sugar alcohol;
• the bismuth-sugar solution consists essentially of water, bismuth subnitrate, and the sugar alcohol;
• the bismuth-sugar solution provides the bismuth compound in an amount of at least 3% by weight based on the weight of the binder resin;
• and
• the aqueous dispersion is configured to exhibit stability without sedimentation for at least two weeks at ambient temperature and pressure.