If you bought an EV with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, you could expect lower car payments, less fire risk and more years of use out of your car — but you wouldn’t be able to go as far on a single charge as you could with the nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries commonly found in American and European electric cars. That trade-off has made LFP batteries the go-to choice for standard-range EVs in China, helping to make electric cars more affordable and limit pollution.
...
Although American scientists invented LFP batteries in 1997, U.S. automakers didn’t invest in the technology. Instead, they bet on NMC batteries because they have longer range, a big concern for American EV buyers.
...
That left the door open for Chinese companies to perfect LFP batteries, which have a few advantages. Instead of pricey nickel and cobalt, they use iron, which makes them 20 percent cheaper than NMC batteries, according to the International Energy Agency. While NMC batteries can be recharged up to about 1,000 times before they go kaput — which is enough to put 200,000 miles on most EVs — LFP batteries can last two or three times as long, according to Moura.
Plus, LFP batteries’ chemistry makes them less likely to catch fire and easier to extinguish. [...]
...
That safety advantage is key, because Chinese firms figured out they could pack LFP cells closer together inside a battery pack without risking a fire. That meant they could cram more energy into LFP batteries and nearly catch up to the range of NMC batteries. Last year, the Chinese battery giant CATL made the first LFP battery with more than 600 miles of range.
...
LFP batteries are starting to crop up in some of the standard-range versions of American EVs: Ford debuted them in its Mach-E sedan in 2023 and F-150 Lightning pickup truck in 2024, and Rivian began using them in the basic trims of its R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck this year.
But there are downsides to using LFP batteries from China. Last year, Tesla stopped selling its basic-trim Model 3 in the United States because it uses Chinese LFP batteries, which meant it wouldn’t qualify for U.S. EV tax credits and forced Tesla to pay tariffs.
...
Two years ago, Ford announced a plan to build an LFP factory that would use CATL’s technology but be owned and operated by a Ford subsidiary. U.S. politicians accused Ford of being “a front for China” and demanded investigations. China investigated the deal over concerns CATL would give away its tech secrets. After many delays, Ford is building a smaller version of the plant in Michigan, set to open in 2026.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries are often also used in static, whole house battery systems too for much the same reason: they’re extremely difficult to set on fire, are cheaper, and specific...
Lithium iron phosphate batteries are often also used in static, whole house battery systems too for much the same reason: they’re extremely difficult to set on fire, are cheaper, and specific energy density is not a concern.
It’s definitely a neat piece of tech! Good to hear that the Chinese auto makers capitalized on it.
From the article:
...
...
...
...
...
Lithium iron phosphate batteries are often also used in static, whole house battery systems too for much the same reason: they’re extremely difficult to set on fire, are cheaper, and specific energy density is not a concern.
It’s definitely a neat piece of tech! Good to hear that the Chinese auto makers capitalized on it.
Mirrror: https://archive.is/89WA2