Nowadays, e-mobility products are more and more popular in the world. Deloitte Study ‘Discover the Future’ predicts:
- Tens of billions of additional bicycle trips per year will take place globally in 2022 over 2019 levels;
- E-bike sales in 2023 at 40 million units generating €19 billion.
With the development of this popularity, safety and lightweight gradually become concern issues for consumers. After many tests, many manufacturers of e-bikes choose lithium batteries as the optimal solution because of its characteristic: high density, no memory effect, good cycle life, and low discharge.
Tritek closely follows the trend of the times and always focuses on safe LEV (light electric vehicle) batteries. We are very honored to explore what kind of magic lithium batteries have from the following aspects.
How many chemical types of batteries apply to e-mobility products?
There are several types of batteries. The first one, of course, must be a lead acid battery because it has over 150 years of history.
It is the first type of rechargeable battery ever created. Its ability to supply high surge currents means that the cells have a relatively large power-to-weight ratio. These features, along with their low cost, make them attractive for use in motor vehicles to provide the high current required by starter motors.
The second type is a lithium battery or lithium-ion battery. It’s also a type of rechargeable battery. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used for portable electronics and electric vehicles, for example, electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric scooters.
Li-ion batteries use an intercalated lithium compound as the material at the positive electrode and typically graphite at the negative electrode. Usually, there are three main types of Li-ion batteries: NCA (Triple elements Ni, Co, Al), NCM (Triple elements Ni, Co, Mn), and LiFePO4 (Lithium iron phosphate).
How do lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries compare?
Here are the top 3 differences between the two battery chemistries:
- Cost
The lead acid battery is popular cost-effective battery chemistry, available in large quantities with little worries relating to the security of the supply and in a variety of off-the-shelf pack sizes.
Just as its name implies, lead-acid battery is made with lead and the raw material is easy to access consequently the material may not be in shortage. However, when you start looking at the price in terms of the power or range, lithium-ion technology can often be a more favorable option.
- Energy density
Comparing the two chemistries side-by-side, lithium-ion achieves an energy density of 90-220+ Wh/KG versus 50-90Wh/KG for lead acid batteries. Most lithium-ion batteries are 95 percent efficient or more, meaning that 95 percent or more of the energy stored in a lithium-ion battery can be used.
Conversely, lead acid batteries see efficiencies closer to 80 to 85 percent. Higher efficiency batteries charge faster, and similarly to the depth of discharge, improved efficiency means a higher effective battery capacity.
- Lifespan
Compared with lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries have twice the voltage and three times the capacity. They’re roughly a quarter the weight and consume half the energy of other batteries. Battery lifespan plays a crucial role in their overall efficiency, as they degrade over time.
The numbers vary from study to study, but lithium-ion batteries generally last for several times the number of cycles as lead acid batteries, leading to a longer effective lifespan for lithium-ion products.
How to choose the correct lithium battery for your electric mobility?
Tritek, as a professional lithium-ion batteries manufacturer, can provide different battery packs to install in various drive systems, such as electric bikes, electric scooters, electric mopeds, golf carts, wheelchairs, etc. We usually sort battery packs based on their voltages.
Initially, we would like to introduce our “Starter” — 36V lithium battery packs for electric bikes and electric scooters. It’s a battery pack shaped into a slim frame mounted on an electric road bike or mountain bike.
If you need a battery hidden in the electric bike, and you are looking for high output, lightweight, in a small volume, an in-tube battery pack is perfect for you.
The second is our “Senior” — 48V lithium battery packs for an electric mountain bike. The electric mountain bike battery pack is integrated with smart BMS. It’s a universal battery model for electric MTB. CAN or UART communication is available. Its smart BMS is compatible with various drive systems, such as Bafang, Brose, etc.
The third is Tritek’s “Superior” — 60V and 72V lithium battery packs for electric motorcycles, and electric mopeds. With a powerful e-motorcycle battery, you’re able to cover more ground on a single charge. With a multi-battery connection, an e-motorcycle battery can be operated in parallel or serial connections for optimized performance.
What’s more, 72V lithium battery packs are a great fit for electric motorcycles because they allow the bike to run more smoothly with increased torque and hill-climbing ability. The packs are made with smart BMS, which monitors the cells in parallel, ensuring the safe use of each cell.
In a word, you will get an awesome lithium battery pack of types of electric mobility if you pick Tritek. There is a common performance for our battery pack: can be charged at 10-45℃ temperature and discharged at -20-60℃, plus a minimum of 500 cycles.
If you need to store a bike or motorcycle, just maintain the state of charge at 50-60%, or keep the battery pack into deep sleep mode due to its low self-discharge feature, then battery packs could be stored last for 3 months without any damage.
The last one is Tritek’s “Portable power” – lithium batteries for a smart device. A lithium battery provides the power source for connected devices such as smartwatches, pedometers, smart purifier masks, etc., with a long-lasting & rechargeable Li-ion battery. These batteries are recharged by wired or wireless chargers.
How long is the battery life of a lithium e-bike battery?
Lithium batteries are the most common option for many electric bicycles. They have longer lifespans, which means that they can be charged more times without being replaced. The amount of battery capacity in a bike determines how long the bike will last on a single charge.
Manually check the battery status to make sure it’s fully charged before each ride: if you notice that the charge is running out more quickly, consider buying a spare battery and checking its voltage.
In Tritek, the spare battery is also named range extender. It is one of Tritek’s best-selling models. This unit isn’t for use with an electric bike alone, but when it’s used in conjunction with Tritek’s main battery and original charger, it creates an incredible backup power-up for your electric bike.
How many countries prefer to charge e-bikes with lithium batteries?
As a positive response to Green and environmental protection, people all over the world are using e-bicycles, even from a very young age. Whether it is college kids, businessmen, or housewives there is hardly anyone who does not have a ride on an e-bike. Especially in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Thailand, China, and so on.
Many people ask us why so many e-bike riders choose lithium batteries. The answer is quite simple: lithium batteries are lightweight, safe, and powerful! They can help to make your e-bike run faster and last longer.
You can easily find out which is the best bike for you through a comparison of their technical specs. Good bikes have high-quality frames and excellent components to offer a comfortable riding experience.
For this reason, foregoing, lithium batteries are a technological innovation compared to others. It could be the best charging choice for electric bikes at present!
Tritek is a professional OEM of LEV batteries with more than 12 years of experience. We design and produce the complete intelligent lithium battery pack for electric mobility, including the smart BMS and battery, with world-leading facilities, and automatic and semi-automatic assembly lines. Our customer-oriented approach and suite of proprietary lithium batteries let riders build their unique, individualized and outstanding ride experience, and your electric bike company will stand out in the marketplace for it.
