It was easy to recommend lead golf car batteries back when they cost $50
each, and advanced alternatives were hundreds or even thousands of dollars
for equivalent capacity.
The situation is different now, although by the time you consider the cost
of a new charger and a BMS, the lithium cost advantage may not be quite as
clear-cut.
I know that some folks disagree with the idea of public subsidies for
electric vehicles. However, they've had exactly the intended effect,
allowing both vehicle and battery manufacturers to reach serial production
and economy of scale. That's why lithium has become more affordable.
You want to compare the cost per kWh per cycle at your tractor's nominal
current. That is, compute ((battery + charger + BMS price) / battery kWh)
/ number of expected cycles.
Just keep in mind that in a tractor, weight can be an asset. If you
convert to lithium, you might consider keeping some of your lead batteries
as ballast.
David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
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