#2 · LiFePO₄ or Li-ion: Which One?
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- The two battery types differ from the single cell up. A LiFePO₄ cell is rated 3.2V nominal, a Li-ion cell 3.6V. That is why the same "24V class" splits into 25.6V (8S) and 25.2V (7S).
- The line that differs most on the spec sheet is cycle life: on POWERCRAFT’s standard pack spec sheets, 2,500 cycles for LiFePO₄ versus 700 for Li-ion (standard charge–discharge conditions · to SoH 60%). In return, for the same energy, Li-ion is ahead on size and weight.
- So there is no single answer. The choice depends on what you put first — charge–discharge characteristics, size and weight, or stability. POWERCRAFT keeps both LiFePO₄ and Li-ion packs as standard products in the 24V and 48V classes (the 12V class is LiFePO₄ only).
1. What differs at the cell level
POWERCRAFT builds robot and AGV lithium battery packs with both LiFePO₄ and Li-ion cells. The two cells use different cathode materials, and that difference carries through to cell voltage and cycle life. Below is the cell-level comparison.
| Li-ion | LiFePO₄ | |
|---|---|---|
| Cell nominal voltage (operating range) | 3.6V (3.0–4.2V) | 3.2V (2.8–3.65V) |
| Cycle life (cell · to SoH 80%) | approx. 500–1,000 | approx. 2,000–3,000 |
Because the cell voltage differs, the series count for the same voltage system differs too: 7 Li-ion cells (7S) or 8 LiFePO₄ cells (8S) for the 24V class, 14S or 16S for the 48V class. That is why the spec sheets show 25.2V and 25.6V, 50.4V and 51.2V. How to read nominal voltage and operating range was covered in the previous article.
2. Seen as POWERCRAFT products — two 24V-class Power models
Compare the spec sheets of two 24V-class Power models of similar capacity.
| DM-PWR-25.2V-108Ah (Li-ion) | DM-PWR-25.6V-100Ah (LiFePO₄) | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery type | 7S | 8S |
| Nominal voltage (operating range) | 25.2V (21.0–29.4V) | 25.6V (22.4–29.2V) |
| Energy | 2,721Wh | 2,560Wh |
| Size (excl. protrusions) | approx. L400×W420×H74.2mm | approx. L330×W360×H152.2mm |
| Weight | approx. 20kg | approx. 25kg |
| Over-charge cut-off (per cell) | 4.20–4.25V | 3.70–3.90V |
| Cycle life | SoH ≥60% after 700 cycles | SoH ≥60% after 2,500 cycles |
Two lines stand out. One is cycle life: under the same test conditions (standard charge → standard discharge to cut-off · 25°C), LiFePO₄ lasts more than three times as long. The other is shape and weight: holding similar energy, the Li-ion pack is 5kg lighter and about half the height.
Here SoH (State of Health) is the capacity remaining now as a share of the original capacity. “SoH 60% after 700 cycles” means that after 700 charge–discharge cycles the pack performs at about 60% of a new pack’s original capacity. Capacity units such as Ah and Wh are covered in article #3; other terminology will follow in a separate article.
3. Which one to choose — the way the machine is operated decides
Machines that charge and discharge frequently point to LiFePO₄ first. Logistics AGVs and AMRs that run without shifts and top up between tasks accumulate many cycles per year, and the cycle-life difference can show up as replacement interval. That is also why LiFePO₄ is widely reported as a common choice for industrial robots in 24/7 operation.
Machines where mounting space and weight are tight point to Li-ion first. It stores the same energy in a smaller, lighter pack, which suits machines with a narrow battery bay or where total mass directly affects driving performance or payload. Drones and small mobile robots, where weight is performance, are typical cases.
Stability is a criterion too. The LiFePO₄ cathode is generally regarded as stable to higher temperatures than Li-ion cathodes, so sites that must manage heat risk first often look at LiFePO₄ first. A pack’s safety, however, is not decided by cell type alone: it is made by the BMS protection functions together with design and manufacturing quality, and POWERCRAFT’s standard packs of both types include proven over-charge, over-discharge, over-current, short-circuit and over-temperature cut-off, plus cell balancing.
4. Standard lineup — by battery type
| Voltage system | Li-ion | LiFePO₄ |
|---|---|---|
| 12V | — | 12.8V · 14 models (Standard 7 · Power 7) |
| 24V | 25.2V · 12 models (Standard 6 · Power 6) | 25.6V · 7 models (Power) |
| 48V | 50.4V · 10 models (Standard 5 · Power 5) | 51.2V · 6 models (Power) |
The 12V lineup carries LiFePO₄ packs only. The 24V and 48V classes carry both types, so once the voltage is decided, split the list with the "Battery type" filter. → See LiFePO₄ standard battery packs · See Li-ion standard battery packs
LiFePO₄ has the edge on cycle life and thermal stability, Li-ion on size and weight. The choice depends on which of charge–discharge characteristics, size and weight, or stability comes first — frequent charge–discharge points to LiFePO₄ first, tight space and weight to Li-ion first — and confirm the voltage system and operating range for either one the way the previous article describes.
— all 49 standard packs can be filtered by voltage, capacity and battery type. If you are unsure which type fits, browse the POWERCRAFT custom build projects and describe the operating pattern and mounting space in a specification request.