Short answer: A battery chemistry with high energy density, offering more range per weight but benefiting from keeping daily charges below 80-90%.
Explanation
NMC batteries use nickel, manganese, and cobalt in their cathode and offer higher energy density than LFP batteries. This means more range for the same battery weight, which is why NMC is used in long-range and performance EV models. Most premium and long-range EVs on the market today use some variant of NMC chemistry.
The trade-off is that NMC batteries are more sensitive to sustained high states of charge. Regularly charging to 100% and leaving the battery full for extended periods accelerates degradation over time. This is why most manufacturers recommend setting a daily charge limit of 80% and only charging to 100% when you need the full range for a trip.
NMC batteries also cost more to produce than LFP due to the cobalt and nickel content. Battery manufacturers are continuously working to reduce cobalt content (moving from NMC 622 to NMC 811 to NMCA chemistries) to lower costs and reduce dependence on cobalt mining.
Where you'll see this
- In vehicle specifications
Common confusion
Some people think NMC batteries are 'worse' than LFP because of the 80% charge recommendation. NMC actually offers better energy density and range. The charge limit is just a different care routine, not a deficiency.
Example
A Hyundai Ioniq 5 Long Range uses NMC batteries with 77.4 kWh capacity. Hyundai recommends keeping the daily charge limit at 80% and only charging to 100% for trips.
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