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What is a Lithium-ion Battery?

From Christine & Scott Gable, for About.com

Definition: Li-ion is an acronym for Lithium-ion batteries. These rechargeable batteries offer superior weight savings per unit of energy density over their re-chargeable cousins (NiCad and NiMH) while maintaining their state of charge for extended periods of time of disuse. They require little to no maintenance, and with a per cell voltage of 3.6v, Li-ion batteries are the hands-down winners when it comes to packing a lot of voltage into a small area. All of these advantages are muted to some degree however by their particularly fragile nature and their need to be protected from extreme temperatures.
Also Known As: Li-ions or L-ions
Examples: Due to their high energy density and low weight, some hybrid retrofits use Li-ions to increase vehicle efficiency.

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