Lead-Acid vs Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lead-Acid Batteries
Your lead-acid batteries might need a routine maintenance to add water.
Lead-acid batteries generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction between lead plates and electrolytes. The electrolytes are a mixture of water and sulphuric acid. And the water protects the battery’s active material while it generates power. Without water, the active material will oxidize and the battery will lose power.
That is why you need watering your Lead-Acid Batteries.
Lithium Batteries
A lithium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that is charged and discharged by lithium ions moving between the negative (anode) and positive (cathode) electrodes. (Generally, batteries that can be charged and discharged repeatedly are called secondary batteries, whereas disposable batteries are called primary batteries.)
Because lithium-ion batteries are suitable for storing high-capacity power, they are used in a wide range of applications, including consumer electronics such as smartphones and PCs, industrial robots, production equipment and automobiles.
- Lead-Acid vs Lithium-Ion Batteries
Both lead-acid and lithium batteries provide power for your golf carts. But they are significantly different, let us compare and contrast the features of a lead-acid battery vs a lithium-ion battery in the following aspects.
- Cycle Life
Cycle life is the number of charging and discharging cycles a battery can undergo without compromising its performance. Usually, lithium-ion batteries possess a cycle life of 5000, and complete discharge does not affect the life cycle. Whereas a lead-acid battery lasts for 300 to 500 cycles. The complete discharge of the battery significantly affects its life cycle.
- Cost
Lead-acid batteries are cheaper and are easier to install when compared to Lithium-ion batteries. The price of a lithium-ion battery is two times higher than a lead-acid battery with the same capacity. However, if you compare the life of the batteries, lithium-ion lasts longer than a lead-acid battery. Hence, lead-acid batteries are cheaper only for short-term applications than lithium-ion batteries.
- Weight and Size
The energy density and battery capacity value of lithium batteries are high when compared to lead-acid batteries. Therefore, the weight and size of lithium batteries are much lower in comparison to lead-acid batteries with the same capacity.
- Charging Time
Lithium-ion batteries charge much faster than lead-acid batteries. If a lead-acid battery takes eight hours to charge, a lithium-ion battery would probably take less than two hours to charge, provided they both have the same capacity. Li-ion batteries are eight times faster than lead-acid batteries while charging. This is one of the reasons why Lithium-ion batteries are deployed in most EVs.
- Durability
The durability of the battery is determined by the time duration it can last. Lead-acid batteries can last up to 2 years if well maintained, i.e. recharging it after 50% of the battery is utilized. If it is fully drained or above 80%, it can sustain only for 350 cycles or one year. Instead, a lithium-ion battery has a warranty period of 10 years and can sustain for 10,000 cycles.
