Lead-Acid To Lithium Conversion for Two-Wheelers

Lead-Acid to Lithium Conversion for Two-Wheelers – GBE Battery Offers a Smarter Upgrade

Different electric vehicle batteries have different sizes and models. The lead-acid battery electric vehicles on the market can be replaced by GBE battery module lithium batteries. The voltage of each unit of the lead-acid battery is 2V, and each single cell consists of 6 units, so the voltage is 12V. The most commonly used lithium battery combination for electric bicycles is 4 or 5 lead-acid batteries in series. 4 in series is 48V, and 5 in series is 60V. There are also 16V single batteries consisting of 8 battery cells.

The capacity of the lead-acid battery is determined by the voltage. Taking a 12V lead-acid battery as an example, its minimum working voltage is 10.5V and the maximum working voltage is 13.5V. Discharging from the highest working voltage to the lowest working voltage represents 100% discharge, at which time the battery stops working. The amount of electricity released in this process is the capacity of the battery.

Let's combine the battery voltage and capacity:

Common capacities of 48V are: 10Ah, 12Ah, 14Ah, 17Ah, 120Ah; some are 15Ah, 16Ah, 18Ah, 22Ah, 24Ah.

Some consumers may not know the specific model of the electric bicycle after buying it. In this case, they can identify it from the charger by comparing the output voltage and output current on the charger:

Generally speaking, the labeling method of 48V battery is: "Output voltage 48V-59V, DC××A". The corresponding relationship between the output current and capacity of this battery is: 1.7A corresponds to 10Ah, 1.8A corresponds to 12Ah, 2.0A corresponds to 14Ah, 2.3A corresponds to 17Ah, and 2.5A corresponds to 20Ah.

In addition to the charger labeling method, it can also be calculated from the battery itself. As mentioned above, the current single lead-acid batteries generally have two types: 12V (composed of 6 battery cells) and 16V (composed of 8 battery cells). The single battery will be marked. Since the lead-acid battery is combined in series, the voltage of the battery pack can be obtained by multiplying the voltage of the single battery by the number of cells, and the battery pack capacity is equal to the capacity of the single battery. For example, after opening the battery box, 3 batteries are found. If these 3 batteries are 16V, then the voltage of the battery pack is 16V×3=48V; if these 3 batteries are 12V, then the voltage of the battery pack is 12V×3=36V. So, what if there are 4 batteries when the battery box is opened? At this time, if these 4 batteries are 16V, then the voltage of the battery pack is 16V×4=64V; if these three batteries are 12V, then the voltage of the battery pack is 12V×4=48V.

The battery of an electric vehicle is the power source of the electric vehicle. Most of the electric vehicles now are equipped with lead-acid batteries, which are low in cost and cost-effective. Because this battery can be charged and can be used repeatedly, it is called a "lead-acid battery".

In 1860, Plante of France invented a battery with lead as an electrode, which is the predecessor of the lead-acid battery.

The following four types of power batteries can be used in electric bicycles, namely valve-regulated lead-acid maintenance-free batteries, colloidal lead-acid batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries and lithium-ion batteries.

Lead-acid batteries

Lead-acid batteries are widely used and widely studied by various electric vehicles in various countries due to their low price, rich material sources, high specific power, mature technology and manufacturing processes, and high resource recovery rate. As a labor-saving, convenient, fast, comfortable, cheap, and zero-emission personal transportation tool, electric bicycles have been widely accepted by people and have received attention from relevant national departments. The research group of "Research on the Development Strategy of Light Electric Vehicle Industry" participated by the Development Research Center of the State Council, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Science and Technology and other ministries and commissions proposed the "Research on the Development Strategy of Light Electric Vehicle Industry" report. The national ownership of electric bicycles has reached more than 30 million. More than 95% of electric bicycles use valve-controlled lead-acid batteries.

The vast majority of commercialized electric bicycles use sealed lead-acid batteries, which do not need to be frequently replenished with water during use and are maintenance-free. Its main chemical reaction is: PbO2+2H2SO4+Pb←charge, discharge→2PbSO4+2H2O

When the lead-acid battery is charged, the spongy lead at the positive and negative poles of the lead sulfate releases the sulfuric acid components fixed in it into the electrolyte, turning into spongy lead and lead oxide respectively, and the sulfuric acid concentration in the electrolyte continues to increase; on the contrary, when discharging, the lead oxide in the anode and the spongy lead on the cathode plate react with the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte to become lead sulfate, and the sulfuric acid concentration in the electrolyte continues to decrease. When the lead-acid battery is undercharged, the lead sulfate on the positive and negative plates cannot be completely converted into spongy lead and lead oxide. If it is undercharged for a long time, it will cause lead sulfate crystallization, sulfidation of the plates, and deterioration of the battery quality. On the contrary, if the battery is overcharged, the amount of oxygen produced by the anode is greater than the adsorption capacity of the cathode, which increases the internal pressure of the battery, causing gas overflow, electrolyte reduction, and softening or shedding of active substances, greatly shortening the battery life.

Pay attention to matching with the charger

In many years of use practice, electric bicycle manufacturers and battery manufacturers have gradually realized the importance of matching between batteries and related equipment of the electric drive system, especially matching with chargers. Manufacturing quality is the premise of battery quality, but only when used with a matching charger can the superior performance of high-quality batteries be brought into play, otherwise high-quality batteries cannot fully exert their potential superior performance.

Batteries from different manufacturers have different appropriate charging parameters due to differences in formula, structure, acid concentration, etc. For example, we found in our research that the charging parameters of batteries from different manufacturers can differ by 1.5~2.0V (for 36V battery packs) in the constant voltage stage. The basic requirements for appropriate charging parameters are: to ensure that the battery can be fully charged and that the battery capacity will not decay abnormally due to undercharging; and to ensure that the battery will not suffer serious water loss and thermal runaway due to overcharging during its entire life.

Capacity and life are the main indicators for measuring battery performance. Capacity is generally measured in Ah, indicating the battery's ability to store energy. For example, a battery with a nominal capacity of 12Ah must be discharged at 6A and the time to reach the end voltage of 3105V (36V) should not be less than 2h. If this battery is used in an electric bicycle with a load of 75kg and riding on a flat road, the working current is about 4A, the discharge time should be greater than 3h, and the speed is 20km per hour, then its theoretical range will reach 50km. If factors such as braking and starting are taken into account, the range of an electric bicycle using this battery can reach 40~50km.

Generally speaking, the greater the discharge current, the shorter the battery life; the deeper the discharge depth, the shorter the battery life.

This product supports 1C fast charging, with a cycle life of over 1,500 times. The weight is only 1/3 of the traditional lead-acid battery under the same specifications, making it lighter and longer-lasting. Once launched, Golden Lithium Battery has received high support from more than 30 distributors in 15 provinces in China, and will soon serve the national "lead to lithium" market.

Users can purchase and assemble it according to their existing electric vehicles, and little professional knowledge about lithium batteries is required. At the same time, this battery can be equipped with more than 90% of electric vehicles on the market, so the market penetration rate is high and the difficulty of market popularization is low.

Why Replace Lead-Acid with Lithium?

Lead-acid batteries, while affordable, are heavy, have short cycle life, and suffer from performance degradation with deep discharges. Each 12V lead-acid battery unit is composed of six 2V cells, and typical two-wheeler configurations include:

• 4×12V = 48V systems

• 5×12V = 60V systems

• Occasionally 3×16V = 48V systems

These configurations can now be seamlessly replaced with our drop-in lithium battery modules, offering improved performance with minimal technical knowledge required for installation.

✅ GBE Battery Lithium Modules – The Smarter Choice

• Supports 1C Fast Charging
  Full charge in a fraction of the time.

• Over 1500 Cycles Lifetime
  Compared to 300–500 cycles for typical lead-acid batteries.

• Only 1/3 the Weight of Lead-Acid
  Reduces vehicle load and improves range and handling.

• High Compatibility
  Designed to fit the dimensions and voltage ranges of most existing e-bikes and e-scooters.

• Low Replacement Barriers
  No complex tools or deep knowledge required—suitable for users upgrading on their own.

How to Identify Your Existing Battery Setup

Many users are unsure of their current battery specifications. There are two simple ways to determine compatibility:

1. Check Your Charger:
   Look at the output voltage (e.g., 54.6V for a 48V system) and current (e.g., 2.3A suggests 17Ah).

2. Check Inside the Battery Case:
   Count the number and type of batteries:

• 4×12V = 48V

• 3×16V = 48V

• 5×12V = 60V

Our lithium modules are available in capacities such as 10Ah, 12Ah, 14Ah, 17Ah, 20Ah, and beyond—perfect for replacing any common lead-acid configuration.

Proven Market Acceptance

Our latest “Golden Lithium” pack has already been adopted by distributors in over 30 cities across 15 provinces in China, gaining enthusiastic feedback for its performance, lightweight design, and easy installation. It is now being launched to support global markets undergoing the "Lead to Lithium" transformation.

Why GBE Battery?

With years of experience in manufacturing and exporting lithium battery cells and packs, GBE Battery is a trusted name in the global battery market. Whether you are an end-user, OEM, or distributor, we offer:

• Verified A-grade lithium cells

• Tailored pack design services

• Fast delivery & competitive pricing

• Professional technical support

Join the lithium revolution — choose GBE Battery for your next two-wheeler upgrade.

Contact: info@gbebattery.com
Website: www.gbebattery.com
WhatsApp: +86 156 5600 5075