What are the Benefits of Lithium-Ion Batteries?

The big buzz in batteries is lithium-ion technology. Nowadays, they are the common source of power in several everyday products such as laptops, cell phones, power tools and even vehicles. As technology evolves focusing on speed, big data and mobility, the importance of reliable portable power is massive and steadily on the rise.

At Tennant, rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-on) batteries are increasingly popular as a power option for select equipment. Their advantages fall into five broad categories: maintenance, longevity, charging speed, safety and ease of charging. Before diving into the specifics, let’s define what exactly are lithium-ion batteries and a little bit of the science behind them.

How are lithium batteries different from lithium-ion?

In short, lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable whereas most traditional wet batteries aren't. Li-ion batteries are able to be recharged hundreds of times and are more stable. They tend to have a higher energy density, voltage capacity and lower self-discharge rate than other rechargeable batteries. This makes for better power efficiency as a single cell has longer charge retention than other battery types.