BAPCo Technical Paper: Battery Degradation in Notebook Computers

Today, BAPCo is publishing a technical paper to help  customers gain a better understanding of how and why battery life decreases in notebook computers.

Battery degradation in notebook computers, PDF version

Executive summary

Lithium ion batteries have lower weight and higher energy compared to other battery chemistries, making them a good choice for powering devices ranging from electric vehicles to mobile phones and notebook computers. However, like all batteries Li-ion batteries suffer degradation in performance and the ability to maintain charge capacity over time due to major factors such as temperature, state of charge, and C-rate. In fact, according to some research, notebook computers can suffer up to a 50% degradation in usable battery capacity in the first year given certain usage patterns. This paper will examine major factors responsible for battery degradation and provide a simple to understand formula which the consumer can use to determine the level of battery degradation in a device such as a notebook computer.