Porsche Lithium Battery: Everything There Is To Know
Batteries are a bit of a blind spot for many Porsche owners. It’s not our fault, batteries are constantly changing, improving, and adapting.
In fact, when it comes to electric car batteries, they are almost doubling in capacity and power every five or so years, so what we knew about batteries a few years ago might not still be applicable today.
This quick and informative blog post will cover lithium batteries in particular, what makes them so good, why Porsche tends to use them, and a ton of other little tidbits.
For example, can you sell a used and completely depleted lithium battery? The answer might surprise you. Here is everything you need to know about Porsche lithium batteries:
Highlights
- Lithium batteries have superior energy density, longer lifespan, and a lower discharge rate compared to other battery types.
- Porsche exclusively uses lithium-ion batteries in all their electric vehicles, including the Taycan and hybrid models like the Panamera E-Hybrid and Cayenne E-Hybrid.
- The cost of Porsche lithium batteries varies based on factors like the car’s size and battery age, but it typically ranges from $20,000 to $30,000.
- Selling old Porsche lithium batteries can be challenging due to their classification as hazardous material, but recycling plants may accept them.
- Swapping between lithium and lithium-ion batteries is not recommended due to differences in electrical components, and it’s generally not a practical or cost-effective endeavor.
What makes a lithium battery special?
Lithium batteries are a specific type of rechargeable batteries that have become more popular in recent years due to a few of their unique, or at least substantially better, features.
One of the key features that make lithium batteries special is their superior energy density which characterizes lithium batteries, allowing them to retain more energy within the same volumetric confines compared to alternative battery types.
Suppose you imagine two car batteries, side by side, equal in size and shape, a lithium battery and one regular battery.
Despite being the same size, the lithium battery might have double or even triple the capacity. This is particularly useful for smaller electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, etc. And, of course, for car batteries. Especially for electric cars, like Teslas, that require huge batteries.
Another advantage of lithium batteries is their long life span. They can be recharged many times before they start to lose their capacity, which means they can last for several years.
Batteries degrade in capacity every time you charge and empty them, just a small tiny % of their capacity is reduced each time.
But, for lithium batteries, this percentage is significantly reduced. This is a major advantage over other types of batteries that may need to be replaced frequently, which isn’t ideal for an electric car, obviously.
Lithium batteries also have a low discharge rate, which means they can retain their charge for a long time when not used. You’d hate to park your electric car, head off to the store, and find that it died while you were doing your shopping.
Does Porsche use lithium batteries exclusively?
Yes, Porsche uses lithium-ion batteries exclusively in all their electric vehicles. The legendary first all-electric vehicle from Porsche, the Porsche Taycan, is powered by a high-voltage lithium-ion battery that has a range of just about 325 miles (520 km) on a single full health full charge.
The Taycan’s battery pack isn’t actually one huge battery, it actually consists of 33 single lithium-ion modules, each with 12 cells, for a total of 396 battery cells.
It makes fixing a broken battery much easier and more affordable. While Porsche doesn’t use lithium batteries exclusively across all ranges, they do use them in most. However, Porsche always uses lithium-ion batteries in its hybrid models, like the Panamera E-Hybrid or (my personal favorite) the Cayenne E-Hybrid.
How much do Porsche lithium batteries cost?
The cost of Porsche lithium-ion batteries depends on a few factors. First, the size of the car that the battery needs to power will affect its price because it affects its size.
Also, since newer batteries are so much better than older ones, the age of the battery factors in. Some cars require an older battery as that’s the only size that will fit!
Normally, though, you can expect to pay somewhere in the range of $20,000 to $30,00. Though, it is very uncommon to have to replace a lithium battery for an electric car.
Porshce covers this cost if it needs changing before the car has done 100,000 miles or is eight years old.
If, somehow, you are the one that is going to need to foot the bill for a new battery, it won’t be cheap. If we are talking about a normal battery for a gas car, it’s going to cost a lot less. Probably only a few hundred bucks.
Can I sell my old Porsche lithium batteries?
Not really, because they are technically classed as hazardous material in most states and countries, it can be very hard, even illegal, to sell your old battery.
However, you can sometimes do a deal with battery recycling plants where they will take it off your hands and give you a little something for your trouble.
One of the biggest and not often talked about issues with electric cars is that you can’t just scrap them. You need to dispose of them ethically and legally.
Can you change a lithium-ion battery to a Porsche lithium battery?
Sometimes, yes, you can. But in almost every case, you actually can’t swap them for each other, so it’s usually best to just leave it be.
The problem is that the components that connect to the battery are designed to function with another type of battery with a vastly different current and amperage.
There is a high potential for blowing up electrical components in the car, especially smaller components that run through small resistors and fuses.
However, it is possible to change the entire car to run off of the other type of lithium battery, in theory.
But in practice, the cost of doing so would be such a monumental waste of time and money that nobody has likely ever done it. Sorry, if you have a lithium battery but want to run a lithium-ion one, that’s not going to be realistically possible. Or vice versa, of course.
Everything you need to know about Porsche LithiumBatteries – A summary
Porsche has been using lithium batteries in one form or another for quite a while now. However, the Taycan is definitely the first example of Porsche leaning heavily into battery technology and electric vehicles in general.
Now, we are well aware that some hugely controversial things are happening in the background surrounding lithium battery production and cobalt mining.
We aren’t here to weigh in on that, just let you know about the batteries Porsche uses. Thanks for reading, and be sure to check back in soon to see all the new and exciting content we are coming out with. Cheers!
