Advantages of lithium batteries
With the development and spread of lithium batteries, the mobile use of larger amounts of electricity or electrically powered devices and vehicles became possible in the first place, because compared to the previously used battery technologies (such as nickel-cadmium batteries, NiCd batteries for short, or lead batteries - both of which were previously quite common battery types), lithium batteries have a number of advantages that make them ideal for the mobile provision of electricity. The most important advantages of Li-ion batteries at a glance:
Lithium batteries have an extremely high energy density
The most important characteristic of lithium-ion batteries is their high energy density. Depending on the design, a lithium-ion battery has twice to four times the energy density of a comparable NiCd battery, and even four to seven times that of a lead-acid battery. This makes it possible to store large amounts of electricity in a small space and, for example, to power electric cars over long distances.
Four to seven times the energy density of other batteries
In order to cover comparable distances, for example, an electric car powered by a lead-acid battery would have to weigh four to seven times as much as a lithium-ion battery. The high energy density is an important advantage when using lithium-ion batteries - but it also comes with a risk if, for example, the battery catches fire and an electric car has to be extinguished.
High cycle stability and long service life
Whether in an electric car, notebook or e-bike - batteries today have to function reliably and with minimal loss of capacity over many thousands of cycles and a long service life. In contrast to their NiCd or lead predecessors, lithium batteries achieve this without any problems.
Often guarantees over 10,000 charging cycles and more
There are lithium batteries whose guarantee still promises a capacity of 80% after 10,000 charging cycles. The lithium-ion batteries installed in electric cars also have to meet such extreme requirements - there are already many vehicle batteries that have been driven 200,000 km and more.
No memory effect with lithium-ion batteries
In contrast to NiCd batteries, which have to contend with the so-called memory effect after a certain time and thus lose significant capacity, lithium batteries do not suffer from this effect. Li-ion batteries can be recharged and discharged frequently without any problems, although they do not need to be charged to 100% nor should their capacity be fully used up - yet they do not lose their performance. The lack of memory effect significantly extends the service life.
Lithium-ion batteries have a low self-discharge rate
Not every battery-operated device is used every day. Especially when you think of the cordless drill or e-bike in winter, for example, the batteries are not used every day and then possibly recharged. But even for these applications, Li-ion batteries have a decisive advantage: Low self-discharge.
Only approx. 2% self-discharge per month
Lithium batteries are assumed to self-discharge by less than 2% per month, whereas NiCd and NiMH batteries - i.e. both past and present rechargeable batteries - self-discharge by between 10 and 25% per month. In the past, it was not uncommon for such batteries to lead to the cordless screwdriver being empty just when you wanted to use it again after a few months. Lithium batteries, on the other hand, retain almost their entire charge over a very long period of time.