Terminology » Battery vs. Super Capacitor: Key Differences Explained

Battery vs. Super Capacitor: Key Differences Explained

battery super capacitor energy storage capacitor lithium ion

This article compares batteries and super capacitors, highlighting their key differences. We’ll focus on Lithium-Ion batteries for our comparison with super capacitors.

Battery (Lithium-Ion) vs. Super Capacitor: A Detailed Comparison

The table below summarizes the key specifications of Lithium-Ion batteries compared to super capacitors:

SpecificationsBattery (Lithium Ion Type)Super Capacitor
Charge time10 to 60 minutes1 to 10 seconds
Cycle life500 and higher1 million or 30000h
Cell voltage1.2 to 4.2 V2.3 to 2.75 V
Specific Energy in Wh/Kg100 to 2005 (typical)
Specific Power (W/Kg)1000 to 3000Upto 10000
Service life (mounted on vehicle)5 to 10 years10 to 15 years
Charge temperature0 to 45 o C-40 to 65 o C
Discharge temperature-40 to 65 o C-20 to 60 o C
Form factorlargeSmall
Weight1 g to >10 Kg1 to 2 g
Pros (i.e. Advantages or benefits)• Power density• Long cycle life
• Storage capability• High load currents
• Better leakage current than capacitors• short charging times
• Constant voltage than can be turned OFF and ON• excellent temperature performance
Cons (i.e. disadvantages or drawbacks)• Limited cycle life• Low specific energy
• Voltage and current limitations• Linear discharge voltage
• long charging times• High self discharge
• more temperature sensitive than capacitors• High cost per watt

Circuit Symbols

Here are the circuit symbols for batteries and capacitors:

Battery symbols

capacitor symbols