Read on to find out what you can do to help keep your lithium batteries healthy during the winter. Why Do Lithium Batteries Perform Poorly in the Cold? Just as extreme heat can affect a battery's performance, extreme cold can do the same. Using them in sub-freezing temperatures can result in poor power output and weakened or inability to charge.
This therefore decreases the lifespan of your battery. Lithium-ion batteries perform much better in cold winter conditions but you’re still going to want to take care of them. In comparison to a standard lead-acid battery, lithium batteries can operate with very little loss providing 95-98% of their capacity.
Lithium batteries are highly sensitive to extreme temperatures, especially cold. As a general guideline, temperatures below 0°C (32°F) can significantly impact the performance and lifespan of lithium batteries. When exposed to such low temperatures, the chemical reactions within the battery slow down, leading to reduced capacity and voltage output.
While no battery performs perfectly in freezing weather, lithium batteries perform much better than lead-acid and other battery types. There are a few things that make the initial higher price tag worth it, such as: Lithium batteries perform better in extreme temperatures.
Before using lithium batteries in cold conditions, it helps to warm them up to room temperature. You can store the battery in a warmer environment for a few hours before use, which helps optimize the internal chemical reactions critical for its performance.
Cold temperatures can significantly reduce the capacity of lithium batteries. This is primarily due to the slowed chemical reactions within the battery cells, decreasing the efficiency of energy transfer. The reduction in capacity means that the battery will not last as long on a single charge in colder climates compared to normal temperatures. 2.