Flooded vs AGM vs Lithium Batteries
Tips & Support
- Sponsor
- OPTIMA Batteries
- Location
- Glendale, WI
While there are a lot of battery brands on the market, there aren't nearly as many battery manufacturers. As both a battery brand AND a battery manufacturer, OPTIMA Batteries can offer a relatively unique perspective on not only AGM lead-acid and lithium batteries, but flooded lead-acid batteries as well (OPTIMA's parent corporation, Clarios, is one of the largest battery manufacturers in the world). Whether you are considering a flooded, AGM or lithium battery for an automotive, powersports, marine or RV application, there are some generalities that apply across all applications.
Battery Weight
When it comes to battery weight, AGM batteries should be the heaviest of the three options and lithium should be the lightest. On the lead-acid side, more weight is a good thing, because it indicates more active material, more robust connections (cast straps in OPTIMA batteries) and more power. Lithium batteries are generally a flyweight option to the AGM heavyweight and flooded welterweight battery options.
Cycle Life
In terms of cycle life, flooded lead-acid batteries will generally offer the fewest cycles, with AGM lead-acid batteries offering up to 3x the cycle life of a flooded lead-acid battery. Lithium batteries, depending on the brand who is promoting them, may advertise 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 or more cycles. One caveat about cycle life is to make sure that if that is your priority when purchasing a battery, make sure you will maximize the cycle life from your battery choice.
If a flooded lead-acid battery offers 100-300 cycles, an AGM battery (like OPTIMA), may offer 300-900 cycles. On the lithium side, if a brand is promoting 15,000 cycles, it would take you more than 41 years to cycle a battery 15,000 times, if you cycled it once every day. While we have watched more than a few well-maintained and lightly used lead-acid batteries exceed 20 years in lifespan, it might be a real challenge for any lithium battery to last 41 years, to allow you to maximize cycle life (what's the oldest lithium cell phone battery you've ever had?)
Price
When it comes to price, there can be large differences between the three battery technologies, just as there are with weight and cycle life. In terms of upfront cost, flooded lead-acid batteries are generally the least expensive option, AGM batteries are in the middle and lithium batteries tend to be the most expensive option. However, if you are maximizing the lifespan of your battery, you may find the price differences over time may disappear or tilt in favor of AGM or lithium batteries, which offer far superior lifespan to flooded lead-acid batteries.
Just as there was a caveat with battery cycle life, there is also a warning with battery pricing, as we know there are some popular internet retailers selling lithium some lithium batteries at very low prices. In some cases, even lower than flooded lead-acid batteries. OPTIMA would love to have your battery business, if you're in the market but if you do go with another brand, we'd strongly recommend you verify you are dealing with a legitimate battery brand and not someone flipping batteries they bought off temu from a rented mailbox, along with electric toothbrushes, stereo speakers and tennis shoes.
In simple terms, the sign of a battery brand you can trust is an actual sign in front of a commercial business location. That qualification alone eliminates many battery brands that are being sold out of someone's home address, a rented mailbox, a random 3PL warehouse or as a side hustle from another business. When you get that assurance, you'll likely be looking at batteries that are UL listed and IEC rated for safety or in the case of marine batteries, IP67-rated against water intrusion.
Battery Weight
When it comes to battery weight, AGM batteries should be the heaviest of the three options and lithium should be the lightest. On the lead-acid side, more weight is a good thing, because it indicates more active material, more robust connections (cast straps in OPTIMA batteries) and more power. Lithium batteries are generally a flyweight option to the AGM heavyweight and flooded welterweight battery options.
Cycle Life
In terms of cycle life, flooded lead-acid batteries will generally offer the fewest cycles, with AGM lead-acid batteries offering up to 3x the cycle life of a flooded lead-acid battery. Lithium batteries, depending on the brand who is promoting them, may advertise 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 or more cycles. One caveat about cycle life is to make sure that if that is your priority when purchasing a battery, make sure you will maximize the cycle life from your battery choice.
If a flooded lead-acid battery offers 100-300 cycles, an AGM battery (like OPTIMA), may offer 300-900 cycles. On the lithium side, if a brand is promoting 15,000 cycles, it would take you more than 41 years to cycle a battery 15,000 times, if you cycled it once every day. While we have watched more than a few well-maintained and lightly used lead-acid batteries exceed 20 years in lifespan, it might be a real challenge for any lithium battery to last 41 years, to allow you to maximize cycle life (what's the oldest lithium cell phone battery you've ever had?)
Price
When it comes to price, there can be large differences between the three battery technologies, just as there are with weight and cycle life. In terms of upfront cost, flooded lead-acid batteries are generally the least expensive option, AGM batteries are in the middle and lithium batteries tend to be the most expensive option. However, if you are maximizing the lifespan of your battery, you may find the price differences over time may disappear or tilt in favor of AGM or lithium batteries, which offer far superior lifespan to flooded lead-acid batteries.
Just as there was a caveat with battery cycle life, there is also a warning with battery pricing, as we know there are some popular internet retailers selling lithium some lithium batteries at very low prices. In some cases, even lower than flooded lead-acid batteries. OPTIMA would love to have your battery business, if you're in the market but if you do go with another brand, we'd strongly recommend you verify you are dealing with a legitimate battery brand and not someone flipping batteries they bought off temu from a rented mailbox, along with electric toothbrushes, stereo speakers and tennis shoes.
In simple terms, the sign of a battery brand you can trust is an actual sign in front of a commercial business location. That qualification alone eliminates many battery brands that are being sold out of someone's home address, a rented mailbox, a random 3PL warehouse or as a side hustle from another business. When you get that assurance, you'll likely be looking at batteries that are UL listed and IEC rated for safety or in the case of marine batteries, IP67-rated against water intrusion.