Our phones, laptops and electric vehicles all owe their energy technology to one historic year: In 1980, John Goodenough invented the foundation of the lithium-ion battery. The cobalt-oxide cathode, a lithium battery component, is used in almost every portable electronic device across the world. Many people have tried to improve the cobalt-oxide cathode, but no one has succeeded. Since 1980, the performance and capacity of lithium technology has increased steadily. However, it wasn’t until three to four years ago that a stream of engineers in the U.S. market began equipping their electric products with lithium-ion batteries.
At first, not many engineers understood how lithium-ion batteries would improve their products. Some chose to stay with lead acid batteries. But products that incorporated lithium began to gain a corner on the market.
It takes a convincing argument for new technology to replace a traditional power source. Comparing lead acid and lithium batteries, it becomes clear - the benefits of lithium technology are persuasive.
What Makes Lithium The Most Reliable Choice
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have a reputation as the most dependable battery solution. Lead acid batteries lose battery power as they discharge, not to mention with every discharge cycle. But lithium batteries operate at a much higher capacity.
Lithium batteries operate at a much higher capacity. For customers, reliability is a major selling point. It’s inconvenient when an application loses power before a customer is done using it due to poor battery performance. Customers are now demanding more from their products.
Engineers have turned to lithium technology because it offers the following advantages:
- Longer battery life span
- Faster charging
- Less frequent charging
- Steady power levels throughout discharge
- Consistent power through many discharge cycles
When a better battery solution was presented, engineers grew distrustful of lead acid batteries because of their poor performance. Customer dissatisfaction, a shorter life span and premature battery failure are some of engineers’ most common complaints against lead acid.
How Lithium Got Its Reliable Reputation
The early adopters who started using lithium batteries in their products in the mid-to-late 1980's were often major industry players, but some small, private companies also recognized why lithium was a good opportunity early on.
In particular, lithium became the most popular battery option for cell phones and laptops, although it was also widely used in marine and solar applications.
Lithium-ion batteries gained prominence as customers became more active on the Internet, researching technology options and leaving product reviews. Since lithium reached the marketplace, its reliable reputation has spread through case studies, word of mouth, expert reviews, and product testing.
If you are an engineer thinking about making the switch to lithium, it’s important for you to feel safe in your decision. If you've only worked with lead acid batteries, you may be hesitant to switch to a newer technology.
Rest assured, lithium-ion batteries are a cost-effective option that save your customers money on battery changes in the long term while promoting better product performance overall. In a competitive market where lithium is considered to be the most reliable standard, don’t get left behind.