The disadvantages of lithium-ion batteries mainly include the following aspects:
Security Issues:
Although manufacturers claim to have solved the safety problem of lithium-ion batteries, there are still major safety risks due to the use of flammable organic electrolyte systems inside and the very good activity of lithium. For example, a lithium-ion battery can catch fire or explode under conditions of overcharge or abuse.
Poor low-temperature performance:
The electrolyte is an organic system, which limits the low-temperature performance of lithium-ion batteries. At present, there is no lithium-ion battery that can meet the low temperature performance of vehicles.
Poor over-discharge and over-charge capability:
During the over-discharge process, the electrode structure may be damaged and some substances may be decomposed, resulting in the inability to recover the battery performance.
During overcharging, too much lithium cation will be permanently fixed in the lattice constant and can no longer be released, which may lead to a shortened battery cycle.
Complex management system:
The management system of lithium-ion batteries is relatively complex, and it needs to be managed down to each single battery. Once the battery is overcharged or overdischarged, it is easy to cause the failure of the whole group of batteries or safety problems.
High Cost:
The higher cost of lithium-ion batteries is mainly due to the high price of cathode materials such as LiCoO2. However, with the continuous development of cathode material technology, such as the use of LiMn2O4 and LiFePO4 as cathodes, it is expected to reduce the cost of lithium-ion batteries.
Large size:
The tap density of the cathode of lithium batteries is small, resulting in a relatively large volume of the battery.
Poor electrical conductivity:
The diffusion speed of lithium ions is slow, and the actual specific capacity is low when charging and discharging at high magnification.
Limited lifespan:
The life of lithium batteries is affected by a variety of factors, such as the use environment, charging method, charging times, temperature, etc. The life of a single battery may be up to around 2000 cycles, but the life of a battery pack is usually shorter, generally around 500 cycles.
Affected by the environment:
The performance of lithium batteries is susceptible to environmental influences, such as reduced battery capacity at low temperatures, easy overheating at high temperatures, and even dangerous situations such as fires.
Poor compatibility with ordinary batteries:
Generally, 3 ordinary batteries (3.6V) can be replaced by lithium-ion batteries.
To sum up, although lithium-ion batteries have the advantages of high energy density and long life, they also have disadvantages in terms of safety, low-temperature performance, and cost. When choosing to use lithium-ion batteries, it is necessary to comprehensively consider their advantages and disadvantages, and take corresponding safety measures and management measures.