Lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide variety of industries, but there is no single type of lithium-ion battery. Each type has its own unique chemistry, performance characteristics, strengths, and limitations. This comprehensive guide aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the six most important types of lithium-ion batteries currently on the market. We will analyze each of their chemistries, core characteristics, significant advantages and disadvantages, and typical application areas.
Here we introduce the six mainstream lithium-ion batteries one by one, namely lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA) and lithium titanate (LTO).
| Characteristic | Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO) | Lithium Manganese Oxide (LMO) | Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) | Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) | Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA) | Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) |
| Energy Density | High (approx. 150-200 Wh/kg) | Medium (approx. 100-150 Wh/kg) | High/Very High (approx. 150-250+ Wh/kg) | Medium/Relatively Low (approx. 120-160 Wh/kg) | Very High (approx. 200-260+ Wh/kg) | Low/Very Low (approx. 60-90 Wh/kg) |
| Power Performance | Moderate | Good | Good/Excellent (adjustable with Ni content) | Good/Excellent | Excellent | Excellent/Very Fast |
| Safety | Relatively Low (requires strict management) | Medium/Good | Medium/Good (attention needed for high-Ni NMC) | Excellent/Very High | Medium/Fair (requires strict management) | Excellent/Very High |
| Cycle Life | Relatively Short (approx. 500-1,000 cycles) | Medium (approx. 1,000-1,500 cycles) | Good/Long (approx. 1,500-3,000+ cycles) | Very Long (approx. 3,000-7,000+ cycles) | Medium/Good (approx. 1,000-2,000 cycles) | Extremely Long (>10,000 – 20,000+ cycles) |
| Cost | High (contains Cobalt) | Medium/Relatively Low (low/no Cobalt) | Medium-High (contains Ni, Co) | Low (no precious metals) | High (contains Ni, Co) | High/Very High (materials & process) |
| Low-Temp Performance | Poor | Fair | Fair/Good | Poor (continuously improving) | Good | Excellent |
| Nominal Voltage | ~3.7 V | ~3.7-3.8 V | ~3.6-3.7 V | ~3.2-3.3 V | ~3.6-3.7 V | ~2.4 V |
| Key Advantages | High energy density, mature tech | Relatively balanced cost/safety, good power | Balanced overall performance, high energy density | Excellent safety, very long life, low cost | Very high energy density, good power | Extremely long life, very fast charging, excellent safety, wide temp. range |
| Key Disadvantages | Short life, low safety, high cost | Moderate energy density, faster decay at high temp. | Still relatively high cost, safety challenges for high-Ni versions | Relatively low energy density, poor low-temp performance | High safety requirements, high cost, moderate life | Lowest energy density, high cost, low voltage |
| Typical Application Focus | Consumer Electronics (esp. slim/light) | Power Tools, Medical Devices, Early EVs | Mainstream EVs, Energy Storage | EVs (safety/cost-sensitive), E-Buses, Energy Storage | High-Performance EVs | Special Energy Storage (e.g., frequency regulation), Fast-Charging Buses, Industrial |
| Core Trade-off | Trading safety/life/cost for energy density | Seeking balance point of power/safety/cost | Seeking balance of energy/power/life/cost | Trading energy density for ultimate safety/life/cost | Trading safety/cost/life for ultimate energy density | Trading energy density/cost for ultimate life/power/safety/temp. range |
Key features comparison and selection guide
If you pursue the highest energy density, you will usually choose NCA and high-nickel NMC batteries, but you need to accept high costs and strict safety management requirements. LCO batteries have high energy density, but sacrifice life and safety, and are mainly used in consumer electronics with small battery compartments.
If you are looking for the highest safety, longest life and lowest cost, LFP batteries are the first choice, but you need to accept relatively lower energy density and poorer low temperature performance.
In pursuit of ultimate lifespan, fast charging capability, safety and wide temperature range, LTO battery is the best, but it has the lowest energy density and high cost, and its application scenarios are very special.
NMC batteries have become one of the mainstream choices in the electric vehicle field (especially in the passenger car field) because they have achieved a good balance between energy density, power, life, safety and cost. NMC with different nickel contents provides different focuses (such as NMC 811 has higher energy density, but also greater challenges to safety and life). LMO batteries used to be a balanced choice, but their energy density and life have no obvious advantages over NMC and LFP batteries, and their application has gradually decreased.
Cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) are key precious metals that affect cost. LFP batteries have significant cost advantages because they do not contain these elements. The high cost of LTO batteries mainly comes from their negative electrode materials (lithium titanate) and manufacturing processes.
At present, NMC batteries and LFP batteries are the two mainstream technology routes in the electric vehicle and energy storage markets, with different focuses based on different market positioning (high-end vs. economy, passenger cars vs. commercial vehicles) and regional preferences (for example, the share of LFP in the Chinese market is growing rapidly).
Important considerations and future trends
Safety is a constant theme that requires a systematic approach, not just based on the choice of chemical system. The battery management system (BMS) plays a core role in monitoring voltage, current, temperature, and preventing overcharging, over-discharging, over-temperature, etc. It is the first line of defense to ensure safety. In addition to the battery protection board, preventive measures include battery cells, battery packs, and operation.
The mining of lithium, cobalt and nickel may have negative impacts on the environment and society. We can mention reducing the cobalt content (such as high-nickel NMC, LFP), developing cobalt-free batteries, improving production efficiency, and using clean energy for production.
In the future, we will pursue the development of solid-state batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-ion batteries, lithium-air batteries and new liquid flow batteries.
Conclusion
From high-energy-density LCO and NCA, to safe and long-life LFP and LTO, to balanced-performance NMC and the most cost-effective LMO batteries, each battery has unique performance and applicable scenarios in terms of energy, power, safety, life, cost and temperature adaptability.
Please combine your specific performance requirements, cost, cycle life, working environment and other comprehensive evaluations to select the best lithium battery solution for you. You can also contact us to get the best lithium-ion battery solution.
FAQs
Not all batteries have lithium. Batteries such as alkaline batteries, lead-acid batteries, nickel chromium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, etc. do not use lithium.
The most commonly used batteries currently are lithium cobalt oxide batteries, ternary batteries, and lithium iron phosphate batteries. The usage rate of lithium manganese oxide batteries is also relatively high.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries, lithium cobalt oxide batteries, and NMC batteries are the best. Each battery has its significant advantages.
Lithium iron phosphate battery: the safest and longest cycle life.
LiCoO2 battery: the best choice for portable electronic products.
NMC battery: the battery with the most balanced energy density and performance.
