LFP — what it means

The cathode contains no cobalt and no nickel, which makes the cells cheaper to produce and less exposed to raw material price swings. The trade-off is lower energy density: an LFP pack of the same physical size stores less energy than a nickel-based one, so cars using it are heavier for a given range.

Why it matters when buying

LFP tolerates being charged to full far better than nickel chemistries, so manufacturers using it usually recommend charging to capacity rather than stopping partway. That single difference changes daily routine more than most spec-sheet numbers. Cold weather performance is the weaker side: charging speed drops more sharply below freezing, which matters in Nordic and Alpine markets.

Related: SOH