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Lithium Cell Chemistries

Reference data for the five main lithium cell chemistries — click a chemistry for its full entity page. Values are typical ranges with a source annotation, not a substitute for a specific cell datasheet.

At a glance: The five chemistries span a deliberate trade-off: LFP is the safety/longevity default, NMC and NCA chase energy density, LTO trades energy for extreme cycle life and low-temperature charging, and LMFP lifts LFP's voltage for more energy without cobalt.

Directory

Chemistry	Full name	Nominal voltage	Energy density (cell)	Cycle life	Temperature window
LFP	Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄)	3.2 V	90–160 Wh/kg	2,000–5,000+	discharge −20 to +60 °C · charge 0 to +45 °C
NMC	Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide	3.6–3.7 V	150–220 Wh/kg	1,000–2,000	discharge −20 to +55 °C · charge 0 to +45 °C
NCA	Lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide	3.6 V	200–260 Wh/kg	500–1,500	discharge −20 to +55 °C · charge 0 to +45 °C
LTO	Lithium titanate (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂)	2.3–2.4 V	50–80 Wh/kg	10,000–20,000	discharge −30 to +55 °C · charge −30 to +55 °C
LMFP	Lithium manganese iron phosphate	3.5–3.6 V	150–200 Wh/kg	2,000–4,000	discharge −20 to +55 °C · charge 0 to +45 °C

Energy density is cell-level (pack level is lower); cycle life is to 80% capacity at ~25°C and high depth of discharge. Figures are typical ranges — treat them as relative, not absolute.

How to compare chemistries

Compare chemistries on the metric that decides your application, not on a single headline number. Energy density favours NMC and NCA; cycle life and safety favour LFP; power and low-temperature behaviour favour LTO. The table above gives the reference values; the decision also depends on cost, available space and the thermal system around the cells.

Energy density — Wh/kg and Wh/L, measured at cell level, not pack level.
Cycle life — stated at a specific depth of discharge and temperature; without those, the number is not comparable.
Safety — thermal runaway onset and propagation behaviour, not a single "safe/unsafe" label.
Cost — per kWh at pack level, including the BMS and thermal hardware.

What the evidence labels mean

A value marked as cross-verified has at least two independent sources; a value marked as claimed comes from the manufacturer alone. The label describes the evidence, not the likelihood that the chemistry suits your application. Where a range is given, the spread reflects different cell designs and test conditions, not uncertainty about the chemistry itself.

Related references

Source: cross-verified from cell-manufacturer datasheets and battery engineering references. Last verified: 2026-09-18.

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Frequently asked questions

Which chemistry has the longest cycle life?

LFP generally offers the longest cycle life among common lithium chemistries, followed by LTO in high-power applications and NMC/NCA in energy-focused designs. The exact count depends on depth of discharge, temperature and end-of-life criterion.

Why do the same chemistry values differ between sources?

Cell design, electrode formulation, test temperature and the definition of end of life all change the result. The data site reports ranges and labels the evidence so that a single number is not mistaken for a universal specification.