In the long run, the in-depth popularization of intelligent network connection and the deepening of autonomous driving technology, the defects of lead-acid battery are becoming more prominent, and the trend of replacing lead with lithium in 12V on-board power supply is confirmed, which will open up new lithium incremental space.

12V vehicle power supply lead to lithium market heating up obviously.

On June 10, the Model S Plaid, a modified Model of Tesla Model S, was launched and delivered. The biggest change is that the 12V battery of its older model is replaced by lithium battery instead of lead acid.

Back in February of this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that the 2021 Model S and Model X will replace the 12V lead-acid battery with a lithium-ion battery with a life cycle matching the main battery pack. Tesla will also be the first automaker to mass-produce the 12 volt lithium batteries in its BEV Model, which is likely to be rolled out to the Model 3Y.

Luxury brand Porsche Taycan 12V on-board power supply also chose universal A123 lithium iron phosphate battery, nominal voltage 13.2V, battery capacity 528Wh. In addition, including Mazda, BYD, Hyundai, Kia and other car companies have gradually started to replace the lead to lithium in the 12V on-board power supply of pure electric models.

Battery companies are waiting in the wings, including Ningde Times, Wanxiang A123, LG Chem, Camel Shares, and Yi Wei Lithium Energy, which have started the deployment of 12V lithium batteries. For example, "Big brother" Ningde Times to achieve comprehensive coverage of multi-purpose batteries, the development of the traditional lead-acid battery weight reduced 80%, 60% volume of 12V lithium battery auxiliary power supply.

All kinds of signs show that the 12V on-board power supply market controlled by lead-acid battery for a long time has been quietly torn open lithium electrochemical mouth, and a lithium electrochemical reform around 12V on-board power supply is slowly opening the prelude.

However, subject to cost, technology and market environment and many other factors, the consensus of the industry is that in the short term, it is very difficult to replace the scale of 12V battery lead to lithium, the overall process will be quite slow, only foreign investment, joint ventures and new forces and other price insensitive, high degree of intelligence of the middle and high-end models to test the water.

But in the long run, the deep popularization of intelligent network connection and the deepening of autonomous driving technology, the defects of lead-acid battery are becoming more prominent, and the trend of replacing lead with lithium in 12V on-board power supply is confirmed, which will open up new lithium incremental space.

If the 12V on-board power supply replaces lead-acid battery with LFP, and the battery capacity is 100-500wh, it is estimated that according to the single-car battery capacity of 300wh, the on-board power supply of 23 million electric vehicles will be replaced with lithium battery in 2030, and the corresponding lithium battery demand of 12V system will be about 6.9GWh. And this is only the annual incremental space of new energy vehicles.

If you count the large number of fuel cars and fuel-efficient cars. By March 2021, the number of private cars in China is about 229 million. If the 12V starting power supply is replaced by lithium, the corresponding lithium battery demand will reach 68.7GWh. The lithium replacement market is already in the works.