With the development of science and technology and electrochemical materials and process technology, people continue to research, develop new battery materials and new batteries. Following the nickel-cadmium, nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery, developed in 1991 a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, better performance in 1995 introduced the lithium polymer battery, 2002, the new lithium iron phosphate has come out.

Currently on the market lithium-ion battery cathode material of lithium cobalt oxide is mainly (LiCoO2), plus a few uses lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4) and lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2) as a cathode material. Is a new type of lithium iron phosphate lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) as cathode, graphite for the negative electrode of lithium-ion battery. It works exactly the same with the lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion battery in the new family member.

The full name of lithium iron phosphate, lithium iron phosphate should be lithium-ion battery, the name is too long, referred to as lithium iron phosphate battery. Since the battery is ideal for battery powered, so often call it lithium iron phosphate battery, there are more simply referred to as lithium iron battery (LiFe Power Battery). This is an abbreviation of LiFePO4 batteries.

In the above-described cathode material for lithium-ion battery, its metal elements cobalt (Co) the most expensive, and the amount of the world, Yun-hide, soon after, followed by nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) are cheaper, and iron (Fe) the cheapest. Cathode material prices and the market price of the same metal. Therefore, LiFePO4 battery should be the most expensive. In addition it has a flat discharge performance, especially, can use a large discharge rate of discharge (5 ~ 10C), special security (will not overcharge, over discharge, short circuit occurs even when the fire or explosion), long cycle life, environmental no pollution, high-current output power as a battery, its performance is the best.

Currently there are a number of factories to produce LiFePO4 cathode material, some plants have a variety of small batch production capacity of LiFePO4 battery (mAh capacity from several hundred to several hundred Ah). As production time is not long, not yield, or start-up phase, so far in price than the same capacity lithium-ion battery is also expensive, and also in short supply, often out of stock. This phenomenon will be improved 1 to 2 years. Then the price of LiFePO4 batteries is more complete, and further progress in the quality, prices cheaper, more widely applied.