After the new national standard for electric bicycles established some stringent regulations, many people said that the fate of domestically produced lead-acid batteries for electric bicycles was coming to an end. In recent years, lead-acid batteries, as a century-old technology, have been repeatedly overtaken by the new lithium-ion batteries in the battery industry, experiencing two contrasting fortunes. So, what are the differences between lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries?
In terms of components, for the same capacity, lead-acid battery packs are 3 to 5 times larger than lithium-ion battery packs. Therefore, lead-acid batteries are also larger in size. Furthermore, the new national standard for electric bicycles, which stipulates a weight limit of 55 kg, will make lithium-ion battery packs easier to manufacture than lead-acid battery packs.
Environmental protection. Lead is a heavy metal, and the processing and disposal of lead can lead to pollution, which runs counter to my country's environmental protection guidelines. In contrast, lithium-ion batteries are less polluting, which is a major reason why they are being promoted and actively used in my country, especially in large cities.
Promote the use of green batteries
Long lifespan. Lithium-ion batteries have a long cycle life, with lithium iron phosphate batteries reaching up to 2000 cycles (2000 charge-discharge cycles), and they have no memory effect, allowing for charging and discharging at any time. Lead-acid batteries have a cycle life of at most one-quarter that of lithium iron phosphate batteries, meaning that lead-acid batteries last less than two years, while lithium iron phosphate batteries last more than five years.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries
Price. Lithium-ion batteries are indeed more expensive than lead-acid batteries, but they are still worthwhile in terms of lifespan.
Nationwide, lead-acid batteries still dominate the electric bicycle market due to their price, but lithium-ion batteries are making progress. Beijing's 34th batch of electric bicycle listings shows that all included batteries are lithium-ion, and my country Tower has also announced a halt to purchasing lead-acid batteries, switching entirely to lithium-ion. It is foreseeable that, guided by national policies, the market share of lithium-ion batteries will gradually increase, particularly in major cities and regions.
Part of the catalog
Of course, the government has not mandated that people buy electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries; people still have the right to choose between lithium-ion and lead-acid battery products. Competition between lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries is likely to continue for some time.
