Li-ion or LiFePO4 batteries for my E-bike

[Mansi]

Hello,

I am planning to build a battery pack for my e-bike, but I'm unsure whether I should use Li-ion or LiFePO4 batteries. Can you help me figure out which one would be the better choice? My controller and motor is of 36V 350Watts and has a current rating of 15A.

[Uthappa]

Depends on the cost
LiPo will cost way expensive but has better performance i.e. discharge rate
Lion is way cheaper and has a descent performance and is very easy to maintain
That's the reason it is most widely used in Electric Vehicles

[Mansi]

Thank you for the clarification, but I don't want to use lipo for my e-bike. I want to confirm whether to use li-ion or lifepo4. Some people go for lifepo4 and some go for li-ion, but I am confused about which I should choose. Can you confirm which has a better lifecycle and which is better for my e-bike?

[engineerdk]

Li-Ion is broad categories of betteries.

You want to decide between Lipo(Cathod is of Polymer, Cobalt) and LifePO4 Cathod is made of Iron Phosphate)

Choosing factor for you will be energy to weight ratio, Lipo have higher ratio than LiFePo4 ( 100 v 150 approx).
Hence Drone people should prefer Lipo and other application where weight can tolerated, go with Lifepo4.

[vrooms]

Hi,

Things to decide on which chemistry of cell to go:

• Discharge Rate or 'C' Rating

• Size of cell. Space available for the pack.

• cycle count for 80% DOD

• Cell cost

Datasheet is your friend for all these information.

Depending on discharge rate you need to increase battery pack's cells in parallel
For e.g.,Requirement 15A
if the cell is 3C rated(With 3000mAh => max discharge rate for 3C will be 9A) so you need atleast 2 Cells in parallel to work. But this will reduce you life of the battery if you are use at max rated C.
If you increase number of cells in parallel, then you increase the discharge rate of the pack.
No of cycles is different for LiPo (300-500), NMC(300-1500), LiFePo4(2000-6000).

So depending upon application, discharge rate and battery life, you can decide whether you have to go for NMC or LiFePo4.

[Emma66]

Hey ! When choosing between Li-ion and LiFePO4 you need to consider a few things. Li-ion has a higher energy density, meaning it’s smaller and lighter. However LiFePO4 is more stable and has a longer lifespan. For your 36V 350W system, LiFePO4 might be the better choice.

Additionally if you're planning longer rides or want more safety LiFePO4 will be perfect. While it costs more, it will pay off in the long run due to its durability. That’s crucial, as every mile matters !

[Lily36]

Hey there! So, you're facing the classic dilemma: Li-ion vs LiFePO4.Both have their pros and cons so it's hard to say definitively which is better for you.Li-ion are lighter and have a higher energy density which translates to more range on a single charge On the other hand LiFePO4 are more durable have a longer lifespan and are generally safer For your 36V 350W setup with a 15A current rating LiFePO4 seems like a more sensible choice They're more resistant to deep discharges which is important if you plan to frequently squeeze the maximum out of your battery And those 3000 charge cycles are just awesome!With Li-ions you'd be thinking about a replacement after that many cycles Just keep in mind that LiFePO4 are a bit heavier and bigger so it might be a problem if you have limited space in the frame And the price can also be a bit higher But if you care about durability and safety, it's worth paying extra.