HLB2500: Nitecore's Battery Pack works at -40° Celsius with high performance

Usually lithium-ion batteries have a hard time at low temperatures. Nitecore's new battery pack HLB2500 is very unusual in that regard. Because the new battery pack operates down to -40° Celsius (or Fahrenheit). Nitecore promises a performance that is very close to room temperature performance.

Out of the 9.5 watt-hours, the battery will retain at least 80 percent of the original capacity, according to Nitecore. The battery is rated at 2,500 mAh but with a slightly higher voltage of 3.8 volts, which results in a higher capacity (9.5 Wh instead of 9.25 Wh).

But there are some drawbacks. Low temperatures take a toll on the battery. Instead of 500 cycles, the HLB2500 will only manage 300 cycles at -40°C before the capacity degrades. Nitecore does not specify how much capacity remains after 300 cycles. 

The second drawback: This battery pack was specifically developed for head lamps. Nitecore's HA29 UHE and HA27 UHE are compatible models which are supposed to be also used in extreme conditions ,including mountain conditions going up to 10,000 meters.

The most interesting part, however, is that the HLB2500 does not require a heating element. "It features a specialized, high-weather-resistant lithium formulation that allows standard discharge down to -40°C without requiring any external heating", Nitecore told us. Unfortunately, Nitecore didn't go much deeper into detail.

Nitecore does offer power banks that can also be used at extremely low temperatures. But the Summit series does feature a heating element that consumes some energy to keep the power banks in a working condition. The Summit series is also very expensive, with 120 and 150 US dollars for the 10,000 and 20,000 mAh models, respectively. The HLB2500 costs around 20 US dollars. Both the Summit series as well as the HLB2500 are not commonly available due to their specific use cases. The HLB2500 has already arrived at the US distributor. Outdoor shops specialized in climbing equipment might have those accessories as well.

The newer HLB2500 gives some hope that Nitecore might develop power banks that don't require a heating element in the future.