We’re all used to the lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that power our gadgetry such as smartphones or even Tesla cars, but within this group a number of different technologies that offer different costs and benefits.
Lithium cobalt oxide batteries
The most common Li-ion battery in consumer electronics is lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) as it offers a high energy density – very useful when space is at a premium for fitting smartphones into pockets. However, this comes at a cost both in terms of the life-cycle of the battery, safety, and environmental impact.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries
Lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFePO4 or LFP) by contrast tend to be about 14% little bigger than their LiCoO2 counterparts for the same energy capacity. Whilst this can be an issue for smartphones, when stability and longevity are more important then LFP may be the better choice.
LFP batteries are regularly used in electric cars, electric motorcycles, electric bikes, golf carts, and can even be found on electric skateboards. Interestingly, LFPs were also used in the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project for their cheap XO laptops as they contain no heavy metals and for the extended recharge cycle – very useful when finding a replacement battery after a couple of years use may be difficult.
Lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide batteries
Lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (LiNiCoAlO2 or NCA) batteries are less widely used and remain prohibitively expensive for many uses, but their high specific energy and power densities and long life span has meant that some electric car manufacturers, such as Tesla Motors, have begun to use them.
Photograph by cellanr