What is the Depth of Discharge (DoD) Estimation of a Lithium Ion Battery?

In this article, we explain what the depth of discharge (DoD) of a lithium ion battery is and how it affects the long-term functioning of the battery.

The depth of discharge of a battery indicates the percentage of the battery that has been discharged relative to the overall capacity of the battery.

The overall capacity of the battery would be a charge to 100%. If the battery currently has a charge of 10%, it has undergone a depth of discharge of 90%.

The diagram below illustrates the depth of discharge of a battery.

The battery in the diagram has undergone a discharge of 70% and has 30% life.

The more frequently a battery is charged and discharged, the shorter its lifespan will be.

It's generally not recommended to discharge a battery entirely, as that dramatically shortens the useful life of the battery. This means charging the lithium ion cell to 100% or allowing it to discharge all the way to 0% hurts the overall lifespan of the battery. Using a lower depth of discharge improves the lifespan of the battery, allowing for more charge-discharge cycles throughout the life of the cell.

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