250-295-9353

What Are the Differences Between LiFePO₄ and NMC Batteries?

Back to FAQs

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄ or LFP), which is used in the Spirit 1.0 Plus/Evo and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), which is used in the Spirit 2 are both lithium-ion battery chemistries. The key differences come from the cathode material, which directly affects lifespan, cost, weight, and performance.

What Is a LiFePO₄ (LFP) Battery?

LiFePO₄ uses lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material.

Strengths

  • Very stable chemistry
  • Lower risk of thermal runaway
  • Long cycle life (often 3,000–6,000+ cycles)
  • Typically lower cost per kWh
  • Excellent for deep cycling

Trade-offs

  • Lower energy density
  • Slightly heavier and larger for the same capacity
  • Slightly lower nominal voltage per cell (~3.2V)

What Is an NMC Battery?

NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) batteries use lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide as the cathode.

Strengths

  • Higher energy density
  • Lighter weight for same capacity
  • Higher nominal voltage per cell (~3.6–3.7V)
  • Charges faster
  • Strong performance in high-demand applications

Trade-offs

  • Shorter cycle life (typically 1,000–2,000 cycles depending on design)
  • More sensitive to heat
  • Generally higher cost
  • Requires more advanced battery management

Summary

Both LiFePO₄ and NMC are lithium-ion batteries. The difference lies in their cathode chemistry, which affects safety, longevity, cost, and weight.

  • LFP = durable, stable, long-lasting
  • NMC = lighter, higher energy, more compact

Although LiFePO₄ battery chemistry is generally considered more thermally stable and less prone to combustion under abuse conditions, NMC batteries which operate at higher energy density can be just as safe when properly designed and managed by a robust battery management systems (BMS), as we expect epropulsion has done with the Spirit Battery Ultra.