Can the battery be charged at low temperature?

Yes, but it depends on the battery type. For lithium batteries, charging at low temperatures is usually not recommended, and in many cases should be avoided.

The reason is that when the temperature is too low, the movement of lithium ions inside the battery slows down. During charging, this can easily cause lithium plating, which may permanently damage the cell, reduce capacity and battery life, and even create safety risks.

For standard lithium-ion or LiFePO4 batteries, the common safe practice is:
charging above 0°C is much safer. Many battery products set the recommended charging temperature range at around 0°C to 50°C. Once the temperature drops below 0°C, the Battery Management System (BMS) often activates low-temperature charging protection to limit or stop charging.

However, some specially designed low-temperature batteries can be charged at lower temperatures. For example, batteries with self-heating functions or special low-temperature charging technology may support charging at around -20°C. But this capability is not available in all lithium batteries, so it must be confirmed according to the specific product specification and BMS settings.

So, the most practical conclusion is:

• Standard lithium batteries: charging below 0°C is generally not recommended.
• Low-temperature lithium batteries: they can only be charged at low temperatures if the product clearly states this capability and includes the proper protection design.
• Charging and discharging are not the same: many batteries can discharge at lower temperatures, but cannot be charged directly at the same low temperature.