Battery power is the power source of the future. But with two options available when it comes to the type of battery you choose: lithium and lead acid, which do you go for?
Here Dave French from Reesink e-Vehicles, the exclusive distributor in the UK of STAR EV, looks at the performance and differences of both.
Power and discharge
Lithium delivers a constant amount of power throughout the charge without varying. A lead acid battery on the other hand, starts strong and falls away as the batteries empty, so it will be less productive as it nears the end of its charge. So, note to self, keep those wellies handy, we might be pushing!
Lithium achieves an energy density that is far greater than that of a lead acid battery (125-600+ Wh/L compared to 50-90 Wh/L) meaning that a lead acid battery can take up to 10 times the space that the lithium-ion needs. This gives lithium-powered vehicles more space in which to carry people/loads and being lighter too, affords the vehicle a much longer range, meaning you do not need to charge as often.
Lithium – 1
Lead acid – 0
Opportunistic charging
Charging lead acid batteries is a slow old process – it takes an average lead acid battery roughly eight hours to fully recharge and they do not respond well to being part-charged, sustaining sulfation damage when they are, which significantly reduces life. In fact, when it comes to lead acid batteries, it would be better to always have a back-up battery available so to avoid charging delays to work schedules, but we know this is often not possible and rarely practical either.
Lithium batteries can charge up to four times faster than lead acid batteries. The fact that there’s more time that the battery is in use means you can be far more productive and you can part charge/boost. Pop them on charge for an hour while you go for lunch, and you’ll get something back for the afternoon.
Lithium – 2
Lead acid – 0
Life cycle
Lithium chemistry increases the number of charge cycles giving between 2,000 and 5,000 compared to a lead-acid battery which lasts roughly 500 to 1,000 cycles.
Although lithium batteries have a higher upfront cost, it easily pays for itself over its lifetime and contributes to savings made by the way of reduced energy bills and maintenance costs.
However there is no escaping the fact that the lifetime of both batteries is finite, in the case of lithium it currently is up to eight years and for lead acid approximately five.
Lithium – 3
Lead acid – 0
Cost
Upfront, lead acid batteries are cost-effective, more easily and widely available and come in a variety of off-the-shelf sizes. But the hidden costs hide an ugly secret… Pre-use checks, discharging and leaks feel like an own goal.
A lithium-ion battery, meanwhile, will cost more at the point of purchase but its cost of ownership is more favourable. For example, it has a longer life than a lead acid battery lasting up to three times as long. And with no maintenance and less-to-no downtime, it scores well.
Lithium – 4
Lead acid – 0
Weight
Lithium batteries are generally 55 percent lighter than lead acid so provide a lighter touch no matter the payload it’s carrying than its lead acid counterpart. That lighter weight benefit means less drag on power and less disturbance on the grass, artificial turf or gravel paths. Lead acid batteries can’t compete here, a goal only lithium can achieve.
Lithium – 5
Lead acid – 0
Maintenance
Lead acid batteries need regular checking and maintenance, including weekly topping up with distilled water to prevent the cells from drying out. If this isn’t done it can lead to total cell degradation quite quickly, and even if one cell is neglected when fitted in conjunction with others, this will have a detrimental effect on the remaining ‘good’ cells.
Lithium batteries require zero maintenance. That brings saving in man-hours and the extra costs of maintenance tools and products. Plus, the lack of lead-acid means that chemical spills are avoided and the chance of downtime is drastically reduced.
Lithium – 6
Lead acid – 0
Installation
There are no installation requirements for lithium batteries, but lead acid must be positioned upright in order to be able to vent. This has allowed electric powered vehicles to be optimised in design with far fewer limitations, so customers are getting vehicles that work better, balance better and look better too.
Lithium – 7
Lead acid – 0
Eco-friendly
Lithium batteries put less strain on the environment. They take significantly less time to fully charge and therefore use less energy and do not contain hazardous material, whereas lead-acid batteries, as the name suggests, contain lead, a toxic substance, meaning careful use and a more difficult disposal requirement at end of life.
Lithium – 8
Lead acid – 0
In conclusion, it’s quite clearly a landslide of a victory for lithium-ion. That’s not to say, mind you, that lead acid doesn’t have its advantages and its place in the market for offering a great alternative to diesel/petrol machines – it most certainly does. It still has a huge amount of environmental benefits, lithium-ion on the other hand just scores better. For further information on STAR EV and its extensive and compelling range of lithium and battery-powered utility vehicles, contact reesink-evehicles.co.uk or call 01480 226800.
