The charging speed of LiFePO4 batteries is decided by both their chemical characteristics and BMS (Battery Management System), and they are much better than lead-acid or ternary lithium batteries. Taking the 100Ah specification as an example. The LiFePO4 batteries can also endure a 1C (100A current) charging rate, and it will be charged from 0 to 100% in about 1 hour (actual efficiency 93%), while the maximum charging rate of lead-acid batteries is only 0.2C (20A), and it will be fully charged in 5 to 6 hours (efficiency 80%). CATL data shows that its LiFePO4 cells can be charged to 80% (SOC) in 30 minutes at 1.5C (150A) at 25℃, 58% lower than the capacity attenuation rate of NMC ternary batteries at the same charging rate (capacity loss per cycle 0.003% vs. 0.007%). The actual test of Tesla V3 Supercharger proves that the Model 3 standard range version (60kWh) of LiFePO4 battery only needs 17 minutes to charge 20% to 80% (peak power 170kW), while under the same conditions, the NCA battery version takes 22 minutes.
Temperature adaptability affects the charging rate. The LiFePO4 battery can still maintain 0.5C charging (50A) at the low temperature of -20℃. Combined with self-heating technology (power consumption ≤5% of the charging power), charging efficiency is increased to 78% from 45%. In the ultra-low temperature test in Mohe (-35℃), it was able to charge the BYD Blade Battery to 80% SOC at 0.8C within 1.2 hours (lead-acid batteries cannot be charged under the same conditions). At the condition of high temperature (50℃), LiFePO4 batteries suppress the lithium dendrite growth rate at 0.03μm/cycle (0.12μm/cycle for ternary batteries) through electrolyte additives (e.g., 1.2mol/L LiFSI), allowing continued 1C fast charging with a capacity retention ratio of ≥95% (after 1000 cycles).
On the cost-effectiveness aspect, the LiFePO4 fast charging system’s lifetime cost of Electricity (LCOE) is 0.10/kWh (derived from 4,000 cycles), which is 60% less than lead-acid batteries’ 0.25/kWh. Following the switch from lead-acid to LiFePO4 by some European logistics fleets, the daily average charging times increased from 1.2 times to 2.5 times, the vehicle utilization rate increased by 108%, and the annual operating revenue per vehicle increased by €12,300 (charging time was cut by 62%). According to the UL 2580 certification test, during the charging of the LiFePO4 battery pack at 2C pulse (200A), the temperature rise rate is ≤1.2℃/min (2.8℃/min for ternary batteries), and the thermal runaway risk probability is reduced to 0.0003%.
The trick lies in the balancing technology between charging speed and lifespan. Ruipu Energy’s “super core “LiFePO4 battery increases the lithium-ion diffusion coefficient to 8.7×10⁻⁹ cm²/s through a three-dimensional conductive network (the traditional structure is 3.2×10⁻⁹ cm²/s). In 2C fast charge conditions (200A), it can still guarantee ≥80% capacity after 4,000 cycles. During the 2023 Formula E event, the racing cars equipped with this technology extended the peak power delivery time of their batteries by 37% after a 30-minute quick charge (from 8 laps to 11 laps). Consumer feedback shows that home energy storage products based on LiFePO4 (such as Tesla Powerwall) can store 40kWh electricity within 2 hours under the time-of-use tariff (0.08/kWh during off-peak times), reducing annual electricity expenditure by up to 1,200 yuan (23% more than lead-acid).