Lithium-Ion batteries have become a chosen energy storage technology due to high energy density, long life cycle and lower rate of discharge, all these play a crucial role in determining the battery’s performance. While the much talked about LMFP (Lithium Magnesium Iron Phosphate Phosphate) batteries are taking the center stage as they are being looked at as an advanced version of the existing LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries that are going to disrupt the EV market. The EV market in India, predominantly operates with two types of lithium batteries, NMC (Lithium-Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt-Oxide) which is primarily used in electric two-wheelers including both the slow and the fast electric two-wheelers.

NMC has high energy density, but low thermal stability. As we are aware of EV fire incidents which made a lot of headlines last year. Most of the fire incidents happened with electric scooters which are powered by NMC batteries. The other type of battery that is in the market is the LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate battery). LFP is primarily used in electric three-wheelers like the e-rickshaws. The thermal stability of LFP is very high, but the energy density is low, that is why when it comes to range, they can’t compete with the NMC battery.

The market, which thrives on innovation is constantly in need for new innovation that can take care of high energy density, high thermal stability, and whose core elements should be easy to find. The market is also growing rapidly as the Lithium-Ion batteries have application in electric vehicles, portable electronics, and energy storage systems. As the industry evolves, new cathode materials like LMFP are gaining attention due to their promising performance characteristics and advantages over traditional battery chemistries like NMC and LFP.

LMFP battery is the advanced and superior versions of both the NMC and LFP battery making up for their shortfalls. The cells used in the LMFP battery are 2C rate, allowing them to discharge high amounts of power quickly. Additionally, the combination of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) with Manganese provides a long-life cycle and high energy density which means it will give you a long riding range for your EV. LMFP has higher operating voltage (around 3.7V) than LFP, resulting in higher energy density. This is due to addition of manganese which increases the electrical conductivity and Lithium-Ion diffusion in LMFP.

The substitution of manganese in LMFP enhances the lithium-ion diffusion, leading to improved rate capability compared to LFP. This makes LMFP suitable for high-power application such as fast charging electric vehicles or power tools. LMFP maintains the thermal stability and safety characteristics of LFP with a thermal runaway point above 250 degree Celsius making it a safer option compared to high-energy density chemistries like NMC.

LMFP is potentially more cost-effective than NMC due to lower cost of iron and manganese compared to cobalt and nickel. Additionally, LMFP is cobalt-free addressing ethical and environmental concerns surrounding cobalt mining and reducing dependency on the resource which is already scarce. 

With regards to the Indian market scenario, the Indian consumers’ needs a battery that is safe and can supply power for a longer period, and keeping the climatic and road conditions in mind, which play a crucial role too. This is where LMFP becomes an ideal choice for them since this battery is designed to take in extreme climatic and topographic conditions due to its high thermal stability. These batteries allow heat to dissipate easily which does not allow pressure to build up leading to fatal accidents. These batteries will revolutionize the Indian EV market.

We take pride in being the first battery manufacturer in India to introduce LMFP batteries in the market. The chemical composition along with the AIS 156 amendments will make this battery perfect for the Indian market needs.

This article is authored by Vikas Aggarwal, Founder & MD – Ipower Batteries Pvt Ltd. All views are personal.