Between sodium-ion and LiFePO4, 15 of the 16 characteristics in the full table below differ; one is the same.
3 V · 111 Wh/kg · 1,500 cycles
Keeps most of its capacity down to −40 °C and uses sodium instead of lithium.
Watch out: Less energy per kilogram than LiFePO4 (111 against 163 Wh/kg in our examples) and its own charging voltage, 4.0 V per cell.
3.2 V · 109–163 Wh/kg · 1,000–6,000 cycles
The long-life lithium choice: thousands of cycles, a flat 3.2 V and a lower fire risk than other lithium-ion cells.
Watch out: Heavier than Li-ion for the same energy, and no charging at 0 °C or below. Its flat voltage makes the charge hard to read from the voltage.
| Feature | Sodium-ion | LiFePO4 |
|---|---|---|
| Differences (15) | ||
| Basics | ||
| Nominal voltage | 3 V | 3.2 V |
| Voltage range | 1.5 V (empty) to 4 V (full) | 2.5 V (empty) to 3.65 V (full) |
| Formats | Cylindrical cells such as the 32140 (10 Ah) | Prismatic storage cells and cylindrical power cells; 12, 24 and 48 V batteries with a built-in BMS |
| Example (source of the figures) | Paragonage 32140 (10 Ah) | EVE LF280K (280 Ah), A123 ANR26650M1-B (2.5 Ah) |
| Energy | ||
| Energy per kilogram | 111 Wh/kg | 109–163 Wh/kg |
| Energy per litre | 248 Wh/L | 239–347 Wh/L |
| Life and storage | ||
| Cycle life | 1,500 to 70 % (Paragonage); HiNa reports 96 % after 3,850 cycles in its own test | 6,000 to 80 % of the energy (EVE LF280K storage cell, 0.5P, 25 °C); over 1,000 at 20 A and full depth (A123 power cell) |
| Self-discharge and storage | No yearly figure: the maker asks to store at about 50 % and recharge every 6 months | At most 5 % in 28 days at 25 °C (EVE retention test); store at 30–40 % |
| Current | ||
| Maximum continuous discharge | 5C (50 A) between 15 and 45 °C, 0.5C below 15 °C (Paragonage) | From 1C (EVE LF280K storage cell: 1P) to 20C (A123 ANR26650M1-B power cell: 50 A) |
| Temperature | ||
| Charging temperature | 0–45 °C · only 0.2C between 0 and 15 °C | 0–60 °C · EVE LF280K; full power only around 25 °C: 3 % of it at 0 °C, 30 % at 10 °C (constant-power table); not stated for the A123 cell |
| Discharge temperature | from −40 to 60 °C · at least 80 % of the capacity at −20 °C, 60 % at −40 °C | from −30 to 60 °C · EVE LF280K (only 20 % of full power at −20 °C); A123 −30 to 55 °C |
| Safety, charging and shipping | ||
| Fire risk | Not rated here: we found no independent abuse tests on these cells | Lower than NCA Li-ion and similar to LTO: in 18650 abuse tests thermal runaway began at 234 °C and peaked at 310 °C, against 207 °C and 579 °C for NCA, with the lowest pressure peak of the three |
| Charging | CC/CV to 4.0 V per cell (Paragonage); needs a charger and BMS made for sodium-ion | CC/CV to 3.65 V per cell at most; a BMS balances the cells and blocks charging in the cold |
| Air transport | Sodium-ion dangerous goods (UN3551/3552) since 2025: loose batteries by cargo aircraft only, at 30 % charge at most | Lithium-ion dangerous goods (UN3480/3481): loose batteries by cargo aircraft only, at 30 % charge at most; since 2026, batteries over 2.7 Wh packed with equipment must also be at 30 % at most. Passengers carry spares in the cabin, up to 100 Wh freely and 100–160 Wh with airline approval; since 27 March 2026, at most two power banks each, not recharged on board |
| Uses | ||
| Typical uses | Stationary storage and packs that must work in the cold | House batteries for campers and boats, solar storage, 12 V lead-acid replacements, e-bikes, power stations |
| Same on both (1) | ||
| Basics | ||
| Type | Rechargeable | |
Open the battery comparison →Tick what your project needs and see which of the 15 chemistries fits.
Voltage and charge chart: LiFePO4 →
With sodium-ion: use in the cold. With LiFePO4: simple 5 V charging with a one-cell module and a 12 V format that replaces lead-acid.
Cycle life for sodium-ion: 1,500 to 70 % (Paragonage); HiNa reports 96 % after 3,850 cycles in its own test. For LiFePO4: 6,000 to 80 % of the energy (EVE LF280K storage cell, 0.5P, 25 °C); over 1,000 at 20 A and full depth (A123 power cell). These figures depend on depth of discharge, current and temperature.
Not directly: the voltage of sodium-ion is 3 V per cell, against 3.2 V for LiFePO4. You need a different number of cells, and a charger and a BMS set for the new chemistry.
LiFePO4 vs Li-ion (NMC/NCA) LiFePO4 vs lead-acid AGM LTO (lithium titanate) vs LiFePO4 Li-ion (NMC/NCA) vs LiPo (pouch) NiMH low self-discharge vs Li-ion (NMC/NCA) NiMH low self-discharge vs alkaline Lithium AA (Li-FeS₂) vs alkaline
Figures from one or two named cells or batteries per chemistry, from the makers’ datasheets; checked in November 2026.