With the explosive growth of the robotics industry in the industrial, service and medical fields, the battery, as its core power source, accounts for up to 20%-40% of the cost. Lithium batteries (mainly lithium ternary) and lithium ion battery for robot phosphate batteries (LiFePO₄) as the mainstream technology route, the price difference can be up to 30% -50%. Next, this article will analyze the root cause of the price difference between the two in robot application scenarios from multiple dimensions.
1. Raw material costs: rare metals vs. iron and phosphorus resources
1.1 Core sources of price differences:
* ternary lithium battery (NCM / NCA): rely on nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn) and other rare metals (2025 cobalt price of about 45,000 / ton, nickel price of 45,000 / ton, nickel price of 22,000 / ton), the raw material cost accounted for more than 60%.
*Lithium iron phosphate batteries: the main components are iron (Fe), phosphorus (P), lithium (Li), raw material cost is 30%-40% lower (iron ore price is only $120/ton).
*Supply chain risk: cobalt mine origin concentration (Congo accounted for 70% of the world), geopolitics push up the cost of ternary lithium; lithium iron phosphate relies on China’s localized production (China’s production capacity will account for 85% of the world in 2025).
1.2 Key Data Comparison:
| Parameter | Ternary lithium battery | Lithium iron phosphate battery |
| Raw material cost ($/kWh) | 95-110 | 65-80 |
| Metal Recovery Rate | Cobalt ≤ 50% | Iron ≥95% |
2. Performance Parameters: The Game of Energy Density and Safety
2.1 Energy density
Lithium ternary: 200-300Wh/kg, suitable for high power requirements of humanoid robots, industrial robotic arms (range increase of 20%-30%).
Lithium iron phosphate: 90-160Wh/kg, mostly used in AGV trucks, low-speed service robots (requires a larger battery volume to compensate for range).
2.2 Thermal stability and safety
Lithium ternary: thermal runaway temperature ≤200℃, need additional BMS protection system (cost increase $8-15/kWh).
Lithium iron phosphate: thermal runaway temperature ≥ 500 ℃, naturally resistant to deflagration, suitable for medical robots, storage robots and other safety-sensitive scenes.
2.3 Low temperature performance
Lithium iron phosphate capacity decays to 60% at -20°C, lithium ternary maintains more than 80% (affects robot selection in cold regions).
3. Charge/discharge performance and cycle life
3.1 Lithium battery
1.robotics lithium ion batteries charge and discharge efficiency and speed
Lithium battery charging and discharging efficiency is high, up to 90% – 95%. Some high-performance lithium batteries support fast charging technology, and can be charged to more than 80% within 30 minutes. For example, the lithium battery used in Tesla Model 3 can realize fast charging with the support of super charging piles, which greatly improves the convenience of use.
2. Lithium battery cycle life data
In terms of cycle life, ordinary lithium batteries can reach 1500-2000 charge/discharge cycles, and high-end products can even exceed 2500 cycles. In high-frequency use scenarios such as AGV robots in logistics and warehousing, long cycle life can reduce the frequency of battery replacement and lower long-term operating costs. However, in order to achieve these excellent performance, from cathode material purity control, electrolyte composition optimization to the internal structure of the battery carefully designed, need to invest a lot of R & D resources, making the production cost increased significantly, reflected in the market price is also more expensive.
3.2 Lithium iron phosphate battery
1. Charge and discharge performance characteristics of lithium iron phosphate batteries
Lithium iron phosphate battery charging and discharging efficiency of 85% – 90%, charging speed is relatively slow, full charge usually takes 1 – 2 hours. However, its cycle life is excellent.
2. The cost advantage of ultra-long cycle life
According to the China Chemical and Physical Power Association data, the cycle life of lithium iron phosphate battery can reach 3000 – 5000 times, in industrial welding robots and other continuous operation time is long, the use of high-frequency application scenarios, by virtue of the ultra-long cycle life, can significantly reduce the cost of the whole life cycle of the battery. And its production process threshold is low, the precision of equipment, environmental control requirements are relatively loose, production costs can be effectively controlled, the price is more competitive. For example, an industrial welding robot using lithium iron phosphate batteries, battery replacement costs within 5 years than the use of lithium batteries reduced by about 40%.
4. Safety performance and protection costs
4.1 Lithium battery
Safety hazards and accidents: lithium battery cathode materials are chemically active, and are prone to thermal runaway at high temperatures, overcharging, over-discharging, and other abnormalities, leading to fires and explosions. 2022, the global lithium battery safety accidents caused hundreds of fires, covering the fields of electric bicycles, cars, etc. For example, a well-known brand of electric scooter caught fire, which triggered the industry’s great concern about the safety of lithium battery. Such as a well-known brand of electric scooter lithium battery fire incident, triggering the industry’s high concern for lithium battery safety.
Cost of protection: In order to ensure safety, lithium battery packs need to be equipped with overcharge and overdischarge protection circuits, thermal management systems, etc. These safety protection devices increase costs. These safety protection devices increase the cost, accounting for about 10% -15% of the total cost of lithium battery. For example, the cost of an advanced thermal management system can reach hundreds of dollars, pushing up the price of lithium batteries.
4.2 Lithium iron phosphate battery
Safety performance advantages: lithium iron phosphate battery cathode material structure is stable, thermal stability is good, the risk of thermal runaway under extreme conditions is extremely low. Tests by professional organizations show that the battery can remain stable in a high temperature environment of 150℃.
Comparison of protection cost: Because of its reliable safety performance and simple safety protection measures, the protection cost is greatly reduced. Under the same safety standards, the cost of protection accounts for less than 5% of the total cost. After a logistics storage robot adopts lithium iron phosphate batteries, the safety protection cost is about 60% lower than lithium batteries, and the price is more attractive.
5. User selection guide: 5 decision-making dimensions
1.Scenario demand: high power choose lithium ternary, long life/safety choose lithium iron phosphate.
2.Total cost of ownership: short-term use (<5 years) choose lithium ternary, long-term investment choose lithium iron phosphate.
3.Environmental adaptability: use lithium iron phosphate in low-temperature scenarios.
4.Supply chain stability: focus on geopolitical impact on cobalt and nickel price fluctuations.
5.Brand technology premium: head manufacturers (such as EOF) lithium iron phosphate more cost-effective.
In summary, the price difference between lithium ion battery robotics and lithium iron phosphate batteries in robotics applications is the result of a variety of factors. Chemical composition and raw material costs determine the basic difference between the two prices, energy density, charge and discharge performance, cycle life and safety performance and other key parameters in the use of robot performance at the same time, but also on the production costs and prices have a profound impact. In addition, the market supply and demand relationship and the scale effect further aggravates the price difference between the two. When choosing robot batteries, manufacturers need to consider the robot application scenarios, performance requirements and cost budgets and other factors, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of lithium batteries and lithium iron phosphate batteries, to make the most suitable decision. With the continuous innovation and development of battery technology, the price difference between lithium batteries and lithium iron phosphate batteries may change in the future, bringing more new opportunities and challenges for the robotics industry. For example, the research and development and application of new battery materials may change the cost structure and performance of existing batteries, reshaping the competitiveness and price pattern of the two in the robotics market.