Compared with lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries have higher energy density and longer cycle life, and metal lithium has relatively less pollution to the environment. In the field of automotive low-voltage batteries, the application of lithium batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Although from the actual situation, the progress of lithium batteries over lead-acid batteries is relatively slow, the trend is already clear, and there is still a large market space in the future.
Each car (including pure electric vehicles) has 1-2 sets of low-voltage battery systems. Generally speaking, low-voltage systems include 12V, 24V, and 48V, among which 12V and 24V are similar. 12V is mainly used in commercial passenger cars, and 24V is mainly used in tank trucks, engineering vehicles, heavy trucks, heavy trucks, etc.
In new energy vehicles, for the sake of human safety and vehicle control, all cockpit equipment cannot be directly connected to 400V/800V power batteries, and the start and stop of power batteries require independent power control. Therefore, new energy vehicles must be equipped with low-voltage power supplies. Each vehicle is equipped with a low-voltage system with specifications of 12V or 48V, which is used to power power battery relay switches, intelligent driving assistance equipment, entertainment equipment, on-board electrical appliances, lighting, and instrument panels.
From a prospective perspective, as the electrification and intelligentization of automobiles accelerate, the functions of the intelligent cockpit and intelligent driving domains are becoming increasingly rich, and the performance requirements of vehicles for low-voltage batteries in automobiles are also increasing. The service life of lead-acid batteries in automobiles has been greatly shortened, which has affected consumers' daily use and restricted the progress of automobiles to a higher degree of intelligence. In comparison, lithium batteries have a stronger ability to continuously discharge at a high rate, better cycle performance, and higher energy density. At the same time, they have better stability when they are out of power, and lithium batteries do not contain lead, which is relatively more environmentally friendly. Electric vehicle companies and some fuel vehicle companies have gradually switched low-voltage batteries from lead-acid routes to lithium circuit routes.
Overall, the automotive low-voltage lithium battery industry is in a stage between the early stage of development and the high-speed growth period, and has great prospects in the future, especially in the energy-saving and new energy vehicle industries. As the government gradually increases its support policies for new energy vehicles, the market capacity is gradually released, and the application areas of technology are increasingly expanded, the market potential space is vast, the number of companies in the industry is gradually increasing, and market competition may intensify in the future.