Since the lithium battery into battery market has gradually replaced the part of the market position of lead-acid batteries, from digital products to new energy vehicles and energy storage power station, nowhere not filled with lithium battery, especially in the new energy vehicles driven by the rapid development of lithium battery also entered the stage of industrial development of gold, by contrast, the development of lead-acid batteries is some less. However, driven by the market of low-speed electric vehicles, such as micro electric vehicles, electric bicycles and electric tricycles, lead batteries once again face huge market opportunities.

Tiny electric cars are on the horizon

Micro - electric vehicle is an industry developed completely by market demand without national policy and financial support. Shandong is the main production and sales market of micro electric vehicles, and its production and sales can account for nearly half of the national market share. According to the incomplete statistics of shandong automobile industry association, last year the national output of micro electric vehicles was about 700,000, among which the output of major micro electric vehicle enterprises in shandong province reached 347,000, with a year-on-year growth of 53.7%, and the output increased by more than 50% for three consecutive years.

The batteries used in micro electric vehicles are mostly lead batteries. Compared with lithium batteries, lead batteries have more competitive advantages in price. In addition, due to the large capacity, stable performance, good safety and many other factors of lead batteries, micro electric vehicles prefer to choose lead batteries as the power source. In recent years, lead battery manufacturers have made new breakthroughs in the performance of lead battery and greatly improved the service life of the battery through process reform, optimization formula and progress in charging technology.

In 2015, the ministry of industry and information technology issued the specification conditions for automotive power battery industry, which pointed out that the specification conditions refer to power battery including lithium ion power battery, metal hydride nickel power battery and supercapacitor, not including lead-acid battery. This limits the use of lead batteries in electric vehicles. Nowadays, the identity authentication of micro electric vehicle has been embarrassed. Before the national standard of micro electric vehicle was issued, some people pointed out that the upgrading of lead battery to lithium battery would be the general trend, and lithium battery might become the threshold of its upgrading.

At present, lead batteries in the field of micro electric vehicles in the market share in a short time is untouchable. There are no restrictions on the use of lead batteries in the field of micro electric vehicles, but the huge market share is enough to prove the market value of lead batteries in the field of micro electric vehicles. Now our country first "technical conditions of miniature low-speed electric vehicle" group standard is formally implemented, in the corresponding national standards successively issued and market demand under the dual stimulation, miniature electric vehicle is expected to usher in the market outbreak period, lead battery will also get a huge market development space.

Electric bicycle, electric tricycle demand is strong

The lead battery market is also very broad in the field of electric bicycles and electric tricycles. In these two fields, the market share of lead battery is as high as 80%. Although the proportion of lithium electric bicycles has increased, but the market demand is mainly concentrated in the first and second tier cities or used for international export, in the third and fourth tier cities and rural areas, the use of lead battery electric bicycles, electric tricycle market demand is more robust.

China produced 32.57 million electric bicycles and 11.63 million electric tricycles in 2015, according to data released by the China cycling association. In 2015, the number of electric bicycles in China reached 200 million, and the electric tricycles showed a rapid growth momentum, expanding the market space. Driven by this, the primary lead battery market and secondary replacement market as a whole to maintain steady growth.

Environmental pollution is a hindrance to its development

Although lead battery production technology is mature, many companies on the preparation of anode materials are also made a lot of innovation and breakthrough, but the use of material of the underlying technology has not been a fundamental breakthrough, there still exists certain pollution lead battery materials used in the risk of the low-speed electric cars use under complex working environment is very likely to be electrolyte leakage, or the anode materials are lost to the environment. In addition, lead battery is prone to produce a large number of lead smoke, lead dust and lead wastewater and other pollutants in the process of production and recovery. If not properly treated, it will cause great harm and pollution to human body and environment. To some extent, this is why many people support restricting the use of lead batteries in low-speed electric vehicles.

For the use of low-speed electric vehicles, the battery will produce pollution mainly as follows: the car body subversion or collision damage; Replacement of one or two batteries with problems during use; Use up to the life of the waste disposal. Lead battery is prone to electrolyte leakage in the event of collision. If the problem of environmental pollution cannot be solved effectively, the development of lead battery will be hindered.

And lithium battery inevitable market competition

With the increasing market growth of low-speed electric vehicles, low-speed electric vehicles occupy a place in the new energy electric vehicle industry by virtue of their own advantages. At the same time, its practicality, low cost and convenience are more and more favored by the people, especially to improve the travel of urban and rural residents play a huge role.

No matter for lead battery or lithium battery, the low-speed electric vehicle market has a broad prospect, which is of great significance to both of them. For now, the preparation of lead battery from upstream of the lead, as well as a variety of processing industrial chain is perfect, the competition is more sufficient, coupled with the development of the industry technology maturity including industry equipment localization rate is higher, compared to lithium batteries, lead-acid batteries in electric vehicles at low speed has obvious cost advantages, the advantages of original on the waterproof ability and maintenance convenience.

The price of lithium battery cannot be reduced to the level of competition with lead battery in a short time, which also buys time for the development of lead battery, but the development of lithium battery is the general trend, in the future low-speed electric vehicle market, the two will inevitably develop more fierce market competition.