HOW LONG DO LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES LAST COMPARED TO NICAD BATTERIES? We know, NiCad batteries have been long gone for so long, many don’t even remember them. Still, it serves as a sort of baseline in some people’s thinking. Because 24v battery https://uk.renogy.com/24v-25ah-lithium-iron-phosphate-battery/ has a superior energy density, a comparable NiCad battery will be larger and heavier. From a functional standpoint, Li-ion also doesn’t experience voltage drops as it depletes. So what about shelf life? Both varieties of the battery will self-discharge in storage. However, NiCad self-discharges at a rate of about 1–3% per day. Because of this, it wasn’t uncommon for an unused NiCad battery to require a recharge every couple of weeks or so—even if you never used it! Li-ion batteries self-discharge much more slowly. Almost imperceptibly, in fact. The rate at which this discharge occurs largely revolves around the quality of the pack design. Li-ion batteries also have a lot more technology at work than NiCad batteries ever did. Really, the comparison seems a little unfair and dated. Many manufacturers employ overload, over-discharge, and overheating protection for their Li-ion batteries. All of these technologies protect the battery. They also extend the expected life cycle. NiCad and NiMH batteries typically didn’t have these protections in place. So, while some may claim that NiCad batteries were also expected to last through 1000 charging cycles—you had to charge those packs many more times during their use. You also had to deal with the dreaded “battery memory effect”. OK, that’s the last time we’ll talk about old technology—we promise! GOING BEYOND THE LITHIUM-ION LONGEVITY QUESTION Answering how long lithium-ion batteries last often deals with the question of replacement and ongoing costs. After all, lithium-ion batteries cost more than either lead acid or Ni-Cad. They certainly cost more than a tank of gas! So while the move to cordless convenience requires a significant upfront investment, it also needs to factor in eventual replacement. Before moving onto a cordless tool line, discerning Pros need to understand the long-term implications of this investment. Related questions include: What can you expect to pay for replacement battery packs? For larger equipment, how much do you save in fuel and maintenance vs replacing a battery pack? After answering the question of how long lithium-ion batteries last, we also need to answer these related complicated issues to get the whole picture. So, how long do Lithium-ion batteries last? To sum it all up, the bare minimum that most manufacturers expect from their batteries is around 3 years or 1,000 charging cycles. With that said—we say “put your warranty where your mouth is.” Bosch, DeWalt, Metabo HPT, Makita, Milwaukee Tool, EGO, and Ridgid all warranty their Lithium-ion batteries for 2–3 years. That’s a real good indicator of their minimum expectations for those packs. Move to a company like Greenworks 60V and you can find a 4-year battery warranty. We hope to see more companies extend these warranty periods as technology and reliability improves. If you take care of your batteries, there’s no reason not to expect them to last at least that long or longer.