Summary Table of Lithium-based Batteries
Learn the key feature of each Li-ion in a summary table.
The term lithium-ion points to a family of batteries that shares similarities, but the chemistries can vary greatly. Li-cobalt, Li-manganese, NMC and Li-aluminum are similar in that they deliver high capacity and are used in portable applications. Li-phosphate and Li-titanate have lower voltages and have less capacity, but are very durable. These batteries are mainly found in wheeled and stationary uses. Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of major Li-ion batteries.
| Chemistry | Lithium Cobalt Oxide | Lithium Manganese Oxide | Lithium Nickel Manganese Oxide | Lithium Iron Phosphate | Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide | Lithium Titanate Oxide |
| Short form | Li-cobalt | Li-manganese | NMC | Li-phosphate | Li-aluminum | Li-titanate |
| Abbreviation | LiCoO2 (LCO) |
LiMn2O4 (LMO) |
LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC) | LiFePO4 (LFP) |
LiNiCoAlO2 (NCA) | Li2TiO3 (common) (LTO) |
| Nominal voltage | 3.60V | 3.70V (3.80V) | 3.60V (3.70V) | 3.20, 3.30V | 3.60V | 2.40V |
| Full charge | 4.20V | 4.20V | 4.20V (or higher) | 3.65V | 4.20V | 2.85V |
| Full discharge | 3.00V | 3.00V | 3.00V | 2.50V | 3.00V | 1.80V |
| Minimal voltage | 2.50V | 2.50V | 2.50V | 2.00V | 2.50V | 1.50V (est.) |
| Specific Energy | 150–200Wh/kg | 100–150Wh/kg | 150–220Wh/kg | 90–120Wh/kg | 200-260Wh/kg | 70–80Wh/kg |
| Charge rate | 0.7–1C (3h) | 0.7–1C (3h) | 0.7–1C (3h) | 1C (3h) | 1C | 1C (5C max) |
| Discharge rate | 1C (1h) | 1C, 10C possible | 1–2C | 1C (25C pule) | 1C | 10C possible |
| Cycle life (ideal) | 500–1000 | 300–700 | 1000–2000 | 1000–2000 | 500 | 3,000–7,000 |
| Thermal runaway | 150°C (higher when empty) | 250°C (higher when empty) | 210°C(higher when empty) | 270°C (safe at full charge) | 150°C (higher when empty) | One of safest Li-ion batteries |
| Maintenance | Keep cool; store partially charged; prevent full charge cycles, use moderate charge and discharge currents | |||||
| Packaging (typical) | 18650, prismatic and pouch cell | prismatic | 18650, prismatic and pouch cell | 26650, prismatic | 18650 | prismatic |
| History | 1991 (Sony) | 1996 | 2008 | 1996 | 1999 | 2008 |
| Applications | Mobile phones, tablets, laptops, cameras | Power tools, medical devices, powertrains | E-bikes, medical devices, EVs, industrial | Stationary with high currents and endurance | Medical, industrial, EV (Tesla) |
UPS, EV, solar street lighting |
| Comments | High energy, limited power. Market share has stabilized. | High power, less capacity; safer than Li-cobalt; often mixed with NMC to improve performance. | High capacity and high power. Market share is increasing. Also NCM, CMN, MNC, MCN | Flat discharge voltage, high power low capacity, very safe; elevated self-discharge. | Highest capacity with moderate power. Similar to Li-cobalt. | Long life, fast charge, wide temperature range and safe. Low capacity, expensive. |
Table 1: Summary of most common lithium-ion based batteries.
