I own a 1999 Ford Ranger EV (electric vehicle) and decided to replace a worn out lead acid pack with a new set of lead acid batteries. My decision was driven mainly by cost. Even though lithium batteries dropped over 25% in cost over 2009, the conversion cost is still prohibitive at today's prices. A lithium ion pack for my Ranger EV at the end of 2009 cost approximately $13,200 compared to $3,000 for the lead acid replacements (which was about half price since they were warranty replacements).
Is it worth a $10,000 premium for lithium ion batteries? Maybe. Lead acid batteries survive about 350 charge/discharge cycles compared to Lithium Ion batteries that purportedly last for 2,000 cycles (or a car's lifetime) under ideal circumstances. After replacing my lithium laptop batteries annually for the last 10 years, I am not yet convinced that lithium lasts as long as they claim. If lithium drops another 25% in the 2010 as I hope, and lithium batteries hold up in EV applications, the upgrade will be a no brainer. $10K for a lifetime replacement vs. $6K annually? Lithium wins if battery manufacturers fulfill their claims.
Time will tell. So far, manufacturers have not guaranteed their lithium batteries for 10 years. Lead acid manufacturers know their batteries won't last that long. So for the time being, lead acid it is.
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