Why do fuel-powered vehicles use lead-acid batteries instead of lithium batteries?

The battery of a truck can store a certain amount of electricity. All the electricity used when starting the engine comes from the battery, and all the electricity used after the engine is turned off also comes from the battery. In traditional fuel vehicles, lead-acid batteries have always been used, which are relatively heavy, and one battery weighs 20 to 30 kilograms. Lithium batteries are very light and have high energy density. The amount of electricity stored in a small lithium battery can catch up with the amount of electricity stored in a 20 to 30 kilogram lead-acid battery.

So why do trucks still choose lead-acid batteries instead of lithium batteries as starting batteries?

There are several reasons. 

The first is the cost issue. Lead-acid batteries for vehicles have been developed for more than 100 years. The manufacturing process and technology are very mature, and the raw material supply is sufficient, making their cost much lower than that of lithium batteries. For most truck manufacturers, cost control is an important part of product competitiveness. The cost is high when it is first installed, and the cost when the owner replaces the battery in the future is also high. Therefore, even if lithium batteries are better than lead-acid batteries in some performance indicators, the higher cost makes it temporarily unable to be used on a large scale. 

Secondly, the performance is different. Although the energy density of lead-acid batteries is low and the entire battery is heavy, its charging and discharging performance is very stable, and its high and low temperature resistance is also very good. It still has good performance in high and low temperature environments.

However, the stability of lithium batteries in high and low temperature environments is far inferior to that of lead-acid batteries. If electric vehicles are equipped with lithium batteries now, their battery life will be greatly reduced in cold places.

If the starting battery also uses a lithium battery, it is very likely that the vehicle will not be able to start in winter. In order to successfully start the vehicle, it may require a battery pack that is many times more than usual, and the cost will increase accordingly.

When the vehicle is ignited, the instantaneous current is very large. The power of the starter is generally around 2 kilowatts, and the starting current is over 100 amps, which is a very large current. This requires the battery to be able to provide a large current in an instant, which is the strength of lead-acid batteries. In contrast, although lithium batteries can provide higher energy density, they are limited in terms of instantaneous large current output.

When the vehicle is ignited, the instantaneous current is very large. The power of the starter is generally around 2 kilowatts, and the starting current is over 100 amps, which is a very large current. This requires the battery to be able to provide a large current in an instant, which is the strength of lead-acid batteries. In contrast, although lithium batteries can provide higher energy density, they are limited in terms of instantaneous large current output.

In addition, recycling and environmental issues must also be considered. Lead-acid batteries have been developed for many years, and their recycling system is relatively complete. Most materials can be recycled and reused, which can effectively reduce the impact on the environment. Although lithium batteries have a long cycle life, the recycling process is complicated, and some materials have the risk of environmental pollution.

In short, lead-acid batteries are superior to lithium batteries in terms of both cost and safety. In addition, most truck batteries are only used to start the vehicle, and the power consumption after the engine is turned off is relatively small. Therefore, lead-acid batteries are sufficient to meet the requirements of truck batteries. There is no need to replace them with lithium batteries, which will increase unnecessary risks. Lead-acid batteries are still a more suitable choice for truck starting power.

However, with the development of lithium battery technology, lithium batteries have been used to replace the original lead-acid batteries in very few new energy vehicles to demonstrate their strength. With the development of lithium battery technology, there may be greater technological breakthroughs in the future, enabling more models to use lithium batteries as starting batteries.