We have tested hundreds of dash cams in the market. In our opinion, there is no doubt that lithium-ion batteries deliver poor results when it comes to charging and discharging speeds. Even though the charge can last longer, it generally takes 10-60 minutes to charge it once – too time consuming! Lithium Ion batteries do not need to be fully charged as is the case with lead acid, nor is it desirable to do so. From dead, it will normally take a minute or 2 for the camera to boot up and begin operations. In fact, it is better not to fully charge because a high voltage stresses the battery. Lithium Ion batteries for consumer products go for maximum capacity and cannot be adjusted; extended service life is perceived less important.
Even when a Dash Cam with a Lithium Ion battery can operate in parking mode when the vehicle is turned off, without having a constant power source to feed off of, the effective coverage of that parking mode is severely reduced. The camera will either compromise the parameters of recording, such as only waking up and recording when the vehicle is impacted, or running for a drastically shorter period of time than would be provided off of a car battery, or other power source.
We also take durability in mind, and we have proven that because of charging and discharging, batteries are more prone to wear out. As a result, the battery life gets quickly depleted. Since batteries are substantially less expensive, they are more likely to create issues and may even harm your dash cam recorder.
More importantly, safety. Lithium batteries are unsafe for warmer temperatures and can also cause overheating, leakage, and possibly explosions of your dash cam. Moreover, when your dash cam’s battery is exposed to hot temperatures, its life-span will quickly be reduced.
If this happens, you don’t just lose your footage, but you also harm your car, and even yourself. You will also add cost as you might have to get another dash cam as a replacement - which defeats the essence of lithium batteries being cheaper.
Beyond that, in the event of a truly rough accident, it’s not unheard of for power to the dash cam to be cut . While Supercapacitors do jump to action in such an event, supplying their full charge cycle to retain and ensure that the most recent footage finishes writing to the SD card, the same is more difficult with super capacitor. While they take longer to charge, they also take longer to begin discharging as well, with a delayed response in such an event. We’ve heard plenty of stories of footage being recorded before and after an accident from a Lithium Ion camera, but the accident itself is corrupted and no longer accessible.
Your dash cam is there to protect you, not to cause you more headaches.