Are LFP batteries safer than NMC batteries?

However, LFP batteries are prone to cell imbalance issues and associated safety risks, while safety incidents in NMC cells are more likely to stem from Li-plating phenomena. 1. PowerUp is a spin-off CEA-Liten, one of the major research Institutes in Europe for new energy technologies.

Are lithium-ion NMC batteries a good choice?

This is the benefit of lithium-ion NMC batteries, which are very energy dense. Basically, they hold a lot of energy and deliver the best possible driving range per kilogram of battery. However, they’re expensive to produce, rely on a number of metals that are hard to source, which makes them environmentally very damaging, not to mention expensive.

Why is NMC chemistry more prone to Li-plating than LFP chemistry?

Also, due to the voltage range of NMC cells compared to LFP cells (see Figure 2), NMC chemistry is more likely to experince to the Li-plating. It is important to highlight however that LFP chemistry is not fully protected against Li-plating phenomenon.

What are the disadvantages of LFP batteries?

The only other downside to LFP batteries is that their charging speeds are more affected by very cold weather. So, if it’s freezing temperatures and you need to rapid charge your LFP electric car, you may find that it takes longer than usual.

What is NMC battery chemistry?

Often referred to as li-ion, the ‘NMC’ part references the nickel, manganese and cobalt that are the main metals used in the battery chemistry. There are, of course, many different takes on this lithium-ion NMC battery chemistry from different manufacturers.

What is the energy density of LFP and NMC cells?

If we focus on the major trends, we can highlight an energy density range from 90 to 130 Wh/kg for LFP chemistry and from 190 to 260Wh/kg for NMC ones. Figure 1. Energy densities of various LFP and NMC cells: volumetric energy density as a function of energy density also called specific density; source: [CEA-Liten].