The "Invisible" Small Battery in Cars Is Triggering a Major Transformation Around Costs, Maintenance, and Who Bears the Responsibility
Hello everyone, I'm your financial journalist. Today, we're not talking about the luxury features that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or the thrilling 0-100-kilometer-per-hour accelerations, but rather about that small battery in your car – the lead-acid battery – which you probably never even pay attention to and would only spend a couple of hundred yuan to replace if it breaks.
Don't underestimate this palm-sized, dozen-kilogram “brick.” It's becoming the most unexpected focal point in the revolution of new energy vehicles' electronic architectures. Why? Because it's too cheap, too durable, and too easy to repair… yet it's also too bulky, has a short lifespan, and causes a lot of pollution.
Now, car manufacturers are looking for ways to either eliminate it or “hide” it. But behind this is more than just a technological upgrade; it's also a redistribution of interests regarding who pays, who repairs the car, and who bears the risks.
Let me break down this news into five key points in plain language to help you understand what this “small battery revolution” really means.
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Why Has This “Ancient” Battery Suddenly Become the Target of Criticism?
First, we need to understand why the lead-acid battery, which has been around for over a hundred years, has suddenly become obsolete:
1. Increasing Environmental Pressure and Tightening Regulations
The lead in lead-acid batteries is toxic. In the past, people thought it was cheap, and you could just throw it away at a recycling center when it broke. But no longer.
- Statistics Speak: Globally, 68 million tons of lead-acid batteries are discarded each year, with China accounting for 30%. However, only 62% of them are recycled properly, and the remaining 38% end up in informal channels, causing soil and groundwater pollution.
- Regulatory Push: The EU requires a 75% recycling rate by the end of 2025; China also aims for over 60% by the end of 2026. If car manufacturers continue to use these polluting batteries, they will face fines and be abandoned by the market.
2. It Doesn’t Fit In Electric Vehicles
In fuel-powered cars, lead-acid batteries were used for starting the engine, which was fine. But in electric vehicles, their role has changed, and they’ve become a problem:
- Too Heavy: A lead-acid battery weighs 15-20 kilograms, while a lithium battery with the same function weighs only one-third of that. For electric vehicles that strive for extreme weight reduction, these extra kilograms are a major obstacle.
- Short Lifespan: Lead-acid batteries need to be replaced every two years, while lithium batteries can last for several years. This means car owners have to spend money every two years, which is not a pleasant experience.
- Mismatch in Lifespan: The main battery in an electric vehicle (high-voltage battery) usually comes with an 8-year warranty or 150,000-kilometer range, but the small battery only has a 2-year warranty. This leads to a dilemma: the car is still under warranty, but the small battery breaks, and the manufacturer has to handle the repair, adding complexity to after-sales services.
In Summary: The lead-acid battery is like the “Nokia keypad” in a smartphone – still usable, but it’s outdated in terms of intelligence, environmental friendliness, and integration.
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What Are the Three Alternative Approaches Car Manufacturers Are Taking?
Facing this “ancient” battery, car manufacturers don’t have a unified solution; they’ve divided into three camps, each with different approaches and associated risks and benefits:
Approach 1: Direct Material Replacement (Conservative and Safe)
- Representative Manufacturers: BYD, Geely, Li Auto, SAIC, etc.
- Method: Replace the lead-acid battery with a 12V lithium battery or a sodium-ion battery. The location and connectors remain the same; only the internal components are changed.
- Advantages:
- Minimal Change: Repair shops don’t need to learn new techniques, and local repairs are still possible.
- Significant Weight Reduction: Weight is reduced by more than 60%.
- Extended Lifespan: Lithium batteries have a longer cycle life and can match the overall lifespan of the vehicle.
- Disadvantages:
- Increased Cost: Although the batteries don’t need to be replaced frequently, the cost of a single battery can be three times that of a lead-acid battery.
Limited Benefits: It’s just a part replacement and doesn’t change the entire vehicle’s electrical architecture.
Approach 2: Voltage Upgrade (Led by Tesla, Most Efficient)
- Representative Manufacturers: Tesla (Cybertruck), Chery (in collaboration with Bosch).
- Method: Upgrade the low-voltage system from 12V to 48V.
- Core Logic: Higher voltage allows for lower current, which in turn allows for thinner wires.
- Advantages:
- Significant Wire Reduction: Cables are reduced by 75%, and the weight of the wiring is decreased by 70%. This saves money and contributes to weight reduction.
Improved Power: It enables more complex electronic systems, such as electronically controlled chassis, for faster responses.
- Disadvantages:
High Barriers to Modification: All low-voltage components (lights, horns, control modules) need to be re-certified, and the supply chain must be significantly changed.
Long Transition Period: Currently, it’s a mix of 48V main circuits and 12V branches; 12V won’t disappear completely in the short term.
Approach 3: High-Low Voltage Integration (Most Aggressive, with Great Ambitions)
- Representative Manufacturer: ZeroRun Automobile (CTC 3.0 system).
- Method: Completely eliminate the external small battery! Integrate the low-voltage modules directly into the high-voltage battery pack for unified management.
- Advantages:
- Ultimate Integration: Saves space and weight from the external battery.
Extended Standby Time: Traditional cars can only last a month without power; ZeroRun’s system can last up to 7 months.
Lifetime Replacement-Free: In theory, the small battery never needs to be replaced throughout the vehicle’s lifetime.
- Disadvantages:
High Technical Difficulty: Integrating low-voltage and 800V high-voltage systems in one pack while ensuring they don’t interfere with each other is extremely challenging.
High Repair Risks: If a problem occurs, the entire battery pack may need to be replaced, which is beyond the capabilities of local repair shops.
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Who Is Winning and Who Is Losing in This Transformation?
This revolution is ostensibly about technological advancement, but at its core, it’s about a redistribution of interests and risks:
1. Car Manufacturers’ Calculations: From “Selling Parts” to “Selling Architectures”
- Cost Reduction: For example, ZeroRun has reduced the number of parts by 20% and the cost of structural components by 15% by eliminating the external battery and the battery pack cover.
- Control over Standards: Batteries account for 40% of the vehicle’s cost. Whoever defines the battery standards controls cost and differentiation. Manufacturers like ZeroRun, Li Auto, GAC, and Geely are developing their own batteries to avoid being controlled by suppliers.
- Open Source for an Ecosystem: By making the technology open source, ZeroRun aims to establish industry standards. If everyone adopts these standards, as a pioneer, it can benefit from economies of scale and lower supply chain costs.
2. Consumers’ Calculations: Saving Money or Taking Risks?
- Savings: You don’t have to spend 400 yuan every two years on battery replacements, saving 2,000 yuan over ten years.
- Lighter Cars and Possible Lower Energy Consumption: The car may be lighter and use less energy.
- Extended Standby Time: The car can last longer without power, especially in winter.
- Risks Assumed: Repairs may become more expensive; instead of a few hundred yuan for a small battery, replacing a damaged integrated module could cost thousands of yuan.
- Increased Repair Complexity: Local repair shops may no longer be able to handle repairs; you’ll need to go to a 4S store or an authorized service center.
- Joint Failure Risks: If the large battery pack is damaged, will it affect the low-voltage modules inside? What if the high-voltage system fails? These are all questions that the market will have to answer.
3. The Pain Points for the Repair Industry
A technician from a chain repair shop put it plainly: Lead-acid batteries were the easiest to repair, taking only 20 minutes. But with 12V lithium batteries in different locations, some repairs require removing panels, increasing labor costs. If the batteries are integrated into the battery pack, local repair shops can’t handle them and will have to refer customers to authorized service centers. This means that the profit pool for after-sales services is shifting from local shops to brand-owned centers.
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The Biggest Hidden Danger: When a “Minor Issue” Becomes a “Major Accident”
This is the point that consumers should be most concerned about:
1. Rising Repair Burden
Data from the China Insurance and Research Institute shows that the repair burden for new energy vehicles is 30% higher than that for fuel-powered vehicles. The cost of power batteries as a percentage of the vehicle’s total price is as high as 49.59%.
- In the Past, a small battery issue was easy to fix at a low cost.
- Now, if the small battery is integrated into the large battery pack, a repair could be considered a major system failure, leading to significantly higher costs.
2. Three Key Questions Remain Unanswered:
- Can the Components Be Separated and Replaced? If a low-voltage module breaks, does the entire battery pack need to be replaced? If so, the repair cost will be much higher.
- How Long Can the Low-Voltage System Survive a High-Voltage Failure? Although ZeroRun claims it can last 7 months, how reliable is this in real-world collisions or failures?
- What About Warranties? ZeroRun offers a lifetime warranty, but what if an accident damages the integrated system? What will the cost be if warranty policies change in the future?
3. “Hardware Innovation Is Easy, but Reconstructing Responsibilities Is Difficult”
Car manufacturers have reduced manufacturing costs through integration, but they’ve shifted potential repair risks to consumers. Consumers save a fixed amount on replacements, but they take on the risk of more expensive repairs.
- Critical Point: Have car manufacturers re-designed fault isolation and maintainability? If they sacrifice repair convenience for integration, it may not be progress but a trap for consumers.
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Future Outlook: Will Lead-Acid Batteries Disappear?
Conclusion: They Won’t Disappear Completely, but They Will “Transform.”
1. In the Next 3-5 Years: Lead-acid batteries won’t completely disappear from the market. They will evolve from being “cheap, independent, and easy-to-repair standard parts” to “architecture modules controlled by vehicle manufacturers.”
2. Differentiation in Approaches:
- Low-End/Entry-Level Vehicles: May continue to use lead-acid or simple 12V lithium batteries due to cost considerations.
- Mid- to High-End/Venture Vehicles: Will accelerate the transition to 48V architectures or high-low voltage integration for greater integration and intelligence.
3. The Real Test: Whether this revolution is a true advancement depends on whether car manufacturers also re-design fault isolation, maintainability, and after-sales pricing.
- If manufacturers only hide the small battery but make repairs more expensive for consumers, the revolution will be half-complete.
- The battle for control over battery architecture will determine the future profits in the automotive industry.
Advice for Consumers:
- If you buy a new car, pay attention to its low-voltage battery solution. If it’s integrated, ask about the repair policy and warranty coverage.
- Don’t just rely on claims of “lifetime warranty”; look at the specific terms for accident repairs and repairs outside of the warranty period.
- Understand that cars are becoming more like electronic products, and the repair approach is shifting from replacing individual parts to fixing entire systems. You’ll need to be prepared both financially and mentally for these changes.
This “small battery” revolution may seem minor, but it has far-reaching consequences. It’s not just about technological iteration; it’s also a profound reshuffle of the automotive industry’s business models and after-sales systems.