The Best Lithium Battery for RVs [A Guide For RVers by RVers]
Figuring out the best lithium battery for your RV can feel like you have to learn a new language to decide what you need to purchase.
As full-time RVers, we have gone through the process of upgrading our RV batteries to lithium batteries and installed a complete solar system for all of our off-grid boondocking adventures.
What lithium batteries truly are the best for your RV? Do you need to pay a premium to get those name-brand products?
We are helping you break through all the technical jargon and get the low down on the best lithium batteries for RVs on the market today so you can stick to your budget and get out and explore more, with less stress and more confidence!
About RV Batteries
Before we dive headfirst into the deep end, let’s first dip our toes in the water. If you are already familiar with the basics of RV batteries, skip this section and jump right to the nitty gritty on lithium RV battery brands here.
What is the purpose of batteries in your RV?
Whether you plan to always camp at RV parks or campgrounds with full hook-ups or spend time boondocking without a power source like shore power (electric hookups), batteries matter.
Batteries serve as the power source for the various components in your RV and it is important to have both the functionality and power you need for all of your RV adventures.
House Batteries
House batteries, also known as deep-cycle batteries, can serve as the power source for your RV when you are not on electric hookups.
These batteries are designed to deliver a steady and consistent supply of energy and can be drained deeper than some other types of batteries, making them suitable for running lights, fans, and other essential systems you would expect to find in an RV.
House batteries in a towable RV will be different than chassis batteries that you might find in a driveable RV such as a van (class B), Class C, or Class A motorhome. Chassis batteries power the engine and start functions of driveable RVs.
Battery Bank
A “battery bank” much like a financial bank, is the place where your RV’s precious currency – energy – is stored.
How you set up your battery bank will be up to you and how you plan to use your RV.
Most RV’s will come out of the manufacturers with somewhere around 100-200 amp hours of house batteries.
Many RVers choose to upgrade these traditional house deep cycle batteries to lithium batteries due to the improved performance and functionality over the long term.
Amp-hours and watt-hours
You’ll often hear someone say something like they have “100 amp hours” of batteries.
This can be misleading as the total power capacity of a battery bank depends on both volts and amps.
If they have 12v batteries, that would mean they could have a 100 amp draw at 12 volts (which would be 1,200 watts) on their batteries for 1 hour to bring them down to completely empty.
Many batteries will cut off prior to being completely empty, but you get the idea.
To compare capacity apples to apples, watt-hours is the best metric to use.
A 100 amp-hour 12v battery provides the same capacity as a 200 amp-hour 6v battery. Both give you 1,200 watt-hours of battery capacity.
About The Different Types of RV Batteries
Assuming you have the same amount of watt-hours and they are true deep cycle batteries, the voltage of your batteries (6v vs 12v) is fairly negligible regarding performance. The biggest performance differences will be in the actual chemistry of the batteries.
Below are a few common types of RV batteries:
Lead acid batteries
As you might guess, lead-acid batteries are made of lead and sulfuric acid. They are called flooded batteries because they have open terminals on the top that must be kept full of distilled water to operate properly. Allowing these to dry out can drastically reduce the life of your batteries.
AGM batteries
AGM, or Absorbent Glass Mat, batteries are sealed lead-acid batteries. They do not require any maintenance with distilled water.
AGM batteries consist of lead plates, like traditional lead-acid batteries, but the electrolyte is absorbed by a fiberglass mat placed between the plates.
The maintenance-free construction and increased performance compared to lead-acid batteries puts them at a higher price point.
Lithium Batteries (LiFePO4)
Lithium RV batteries got their technology from lithium-ion batteries. You’ll find lithium-ion batteries in most phones and laptops today.
The lithium batteries that are highly popular for use in RVs are lithium iron phosphate batteries. These are top choices due to their long lifespan, low toxicity, high safety, and relatively lower cost.
Lithium batteries are a game changer in terms of performance.
Some of the major performance benefits and key advantages are:
- Higher energy density than lead-acid and AGM
- Significantly lighter batteries for the same capacity
- Our 200AH 12v lithium batteries are 58 lbs each! (Lithium batteries weigh about 1/3 less than AGM batteries, on average)
- Much deeper discharge cycles compared to AGM and lead-acid. You can discharge lithium batteries to 20% or lower compared to the recommended 50% of lead-acid and AGM batteries
- Compared with standard batteries, lithium types lose much less energy when not in use (about 3% per month compared to 30% a month with older technologies).
- Lithium batteries have a vastly longer lifespan than lead-acid and AGM batteries (lead-acid batteries are designed for 300-400 cycles at 50% charge, while lithium batteries can often handle well over 1,000 cycles with a larger depth of discharge (80%).
- Built-in battery management system (BMS) which monitors and protects the batteries from various issues including overcharging, over-discharging, and overheating.
- Great for dry camping: They are better able to handle heavier loads like air conditioners, making them the better choice for running energy-demanding appliances in your RV while dry camping and boondocking. Any battery can run something small like the water pump, but not all batteries will be able to handle an air conditioner or a residential refrigerator if you have an RV with more luxury features.
- Better performance in cold temperatures
- You have a higher capacity in lithium because you can use 80% of the energy
- Longer lifespan. Lithium batteries can easily last a decade or more and many will come with 10 or more year warranties!
With so many reasons to choose lithium batteries for your RV… what’s the catch?
Upfront cost.
Lithium batteries tend to cost far more upfront, but given their long lifespan, they can actually be cheaper in the long run. In most cases, they become the more cost-effective option over time.
Given we full-time RV and spend a lot of time off-grid, we love our lithium batteries due to their overall superior performance and wouldn’t go back to AGM or Lead-acid batteries any time soon.
With plenty of boondocking to explore in the United States (and much of it available for free) the further we can get away from the grid, the better!
A quick overview of popular and reputable lithium batteries for RVs:
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$680
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$489.99
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$399.00
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$899.00
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$749.00
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READ MORE: RV Boondocking Guide For Beginners
Best Lithium Batteries For RVs
The most popular brands of Lithium batteries for RVs include:
- Battle Born
- Renogy
- LifeBlue
- Enduro
- Victron
- Lion
While some brands may be more well-known than others (and therefore can cost you more for the name brand), it is important to look at a few specific factors to truly compare different lithium battery brands. These include:
- Warranty Length
- Weight
- Smart features
- Lifespan (number of cycles)
LifeBlue
We personally chose LifeBlue batteries, which we purchased as part of a total solar setup through Continuous Resources. They have performed extremely well and were the perfect balance of performance and price for what we were looking for.
This said, based on our research we believe all of the lithium batteries in this list have similar capabilities.
We chose LifeBlue at the time due to the deal we got, and we highly recommend you shop around and choose the batteries that work well for your budget and needs.
Right now, LifeBlue batteries can be more difficult to come by. If we were shopping again now, we might consider a different brand at a great price (such as Renogy or Enduro).
- Cost: 100ah 12V batteries start at $680 (their standard batteries include smart features and Bluetooth capabilities to monitor battery life and health)
- Warranty: Typically comes with a 10-year limited warranty
- Size: Available in various capacities, such as 100Ah, 200Ah, and 300Ah
- Weight: The weight can vary, but a 100Ah battery is around 28 lbs (while the 300Ah is 83 lbs)
Battle Born
Battle Born has become a household name for many RVers. Many RVers swear by them, but this does come at a cost.
Battle Born lithium batteries are typically more expensive than other lithium batteries on the market, although you may be able to find great deals throughout the year (such as Black Friday).
- Cost: 100ah 12V lithium batteries start around $945
- Warranty: Typically comes with a 10-year warranty.
- Size: Various sizes are available, including 100Ah, 200Ah, etc. They also come in 12V, 24V and 48V variations.
- Weight: The weight varies depending on the capacity, but a common size like 100Ah is around 31 lbs (14 kg).
- Lifespan: 3,000 – 5,000 deep discharge cycles, providing up to 10-15 years of power.
This 100Ah 12V lithium battery lasts 3,000 - 5,000 deep discharge cycles, providing up to 10-15 years of power.
Renogy
- Cost: 100ah 12V lithium batteries start around $530 for a basic model without smart capabilities
- Warranty: Typically comes with a 5-year warranty and 24-hour timely assistance
- Size: Available in different capacities, including 50Ah, 100Ah, and 200Ah as well as 12V, 24, and 48V versions
- Weight: The weight depends on the capacity, with a 100Ah battery weighing approximately 23 lbs
- Lifespan: 5000 cycles
Enduro
- Cost: 100Ah 12V starting at $699
- Warranty: Warranties may vary, but they often come with a 10-year warranty.
- Size: Different capacities are available, including 100Ah, 200 Ah, and 300Ah in 12V, 24V, 36V, and 48V variations
- Weight: The weight depends on the capacity, with a 100Ah battery weighing around 22.6 lbs
Lion Energy
- Cost: 100Ah 12V batteries start at $899
- Warranty: Warranty periods may vary but these commonly come with a 10-year warranty.
- Size: Available in different capacities, such as 100Ah, 200Ah, and 300Ah, mainly offering 12V systems
- Weight: The weight varies, but a 100Ah battery is approximately 23 lbs (10.4 kg).
- Lifespan: Can be fully drained and recharged over 3500 times
What Are The Best Lithium Batteries For Your RV?
Determining if lithium batteries are right for you requires considering your power needs.
If you are looking for low-maintenance batteries that can deal with larger power draw and have a longer lifespan, lithium is the way to go.
Once you have decided to purchase lithium batteries, choosing a brand really comes down to the functionality, price point, and warranty you are comfortable with.
Battle Born is one of the most widely known brands, but their batteries come with a steeper price.
Choosing an alternate brand can save you money, and still provide you with high-quality batteries with good warranty options.
If you are purchasing batteries as part of a solar package (such as through a service like Continuous Resources or AM Solar), you can also expect additional customer service not only for problems with your batteries, but your entire solar system as well.
We have had a great experience with our LifeBlue Lithium Batteries as part of our solar package from Continuous Resources.
They have performed well all over the U.S. and Canada both on and off-grid for the past 2 years of our full-time RV adventure.
READ MORE: Different RV Battery Setups & Which is Best for You
Conclusion
Lithium batteries are the best RV battery on the market today.
With their long lifespan, extended warranties, and increased energy and safety, they can be a great choice when looking to upgrade your RV power system.
While it might feel like a large investment up front, if you plan to RV long-term, the cost will even out compared to the typical lifespan and maintenance involved with other RV battery types.
Our lithium battery upgrade for our RV has been one of the very best decisions we have made in our 2 + years of full-time RVing!
READ MORE: What Does An Inverter Do In An RV? A Complete Power Guide
Top RV Resources
Our favorite resources for finding great campgrounds and campsites while RVing include :
- Harvest Host: For finding unique and convenient overnight stays at breweries, vineyards, farms, and more! Perfect for a fun weekend getaway or stopover during a long travel stretch.
- Campspot: For finding and booking great campgrounds and RV parks conveniently and easily all in one place!
- RV Life: RV safe GPS, RV Trip Wizard route planning, maintenance tracker, campground reviews and more. Everything any RVer needs, all in one place!
- Campendium & iOverlander: For finding free camping spots
