Explore battery durability!

As the demand for renewable energy storage increases, battery technology has become a global focus. Among the various types of lithium-ion batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries and ternary lithium batteries have become the main competitors. However, there is another player worth paying attention to - nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, which have unique advantages.

Lithium iron phosphate batteries are highly praised for their excellent safety and stability. They do not contain precious metals such as cobalt, making themore cost-effective. More importantly, lithium iron phosphate batteries have excellent cycle life characteristics, showing more than 5000 cycles at 1C charge/discharge rate under laboratory conditions while retaining about 84% of capacity. This shows that lithium iron phosphate batteries can maintain high performance levels even after years of use.

On the other hand, ternary lithium batteries are known for their higher energy density, allowing more energy to be stored per unit volume or weight. The higher voltage platform of ternary lithium batteries provides greater specific energy and power. However, they lag slightly behind in terms of cycle life, usually retaining about 66% capacity after about 3900 cycles.

Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries bring additional benefits. NiMH batteries are widely used in hybrid electric vehicles and daily consumer batteries/industrial applications due to their ruggedness and reliability. Compared with traditional rechargeable batteries, they have a relatively high energy density and are environmentally friendly due to the lack of toxic substances. In addition, NiMH batteries show good performance at low temperatures, which is very beneficial for applications where the operating environment may be challenging.

From a practical application perspective, lithium iron phosphate batteries appear to be more durable due to their longer cycle life and slower degradation rate. For example, in the field of new energy buses, lithium iron phosphate batteries are favored because they can maintain stable performance for a long time and are suitable for continuous operation. Ternary batteries are mainly used in passenger cars, especially when driving range and fast charging capabilities are prioritized. NiMH batteries perform well in scenarios that require reliable performance and environmental considerations.

In summary, while the three types of batteries have their own advantages, lithium iron phosphate batteries seem to have an advantage in terms of lifespan. Of course, the final choice depends on the specific application needs and the user's balance between cost, performance and safety considerations. As technology continues to advance, we expect more innovations to improve the performance of all types of batteries.

Release date: January 13, 2025

Source: Shenzhen Weijiang Battery Co., Ltd.