The UPS and battery market for datacenters is undergoing its most significant technology transition in two decades. The shift from lead-acid VRLA (valve-regulated lead-acid) batteries to lithium-ion isn't just a chemistry change — it's altering the economics of datacenter power infrastructure, changing replacement cycles, and creating new vendor opportunities as facilities reconsider their entire power train.
Here's what the product landscape looks like in 2026 and what matters most for the companies selling into it.
The Lithium-Ion Tipping Point
For the past five years, lithium-ion was the 'coming soon' technology for datacenter batteries — better specs, higher cost. In 2025, the cost equation finally tipped. Li-ion battery costs have dropped roughly 70% from their 2018 levels, and the total-cost-of-ownership math now favors Li-ion in most new datacenter deployments. The remaining advantages of VRLA — lower upfront cost and a more familiar maintenance profile — are narrowing every year.
The practical implication: every new hyperscale build in 2025–2026 is specifying Li-ion, and a growing percentage of colo operators are converting during major capacity upgrades. VRLA replacement cycles (3–5 years) are now being used as an opportunity to switch chemistry entirely.
New UPS Products Worth Knowing
Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 (Gen 2, 2026): The EXL S1 is already the most widely deployed large UPS in North American hyperscale. The 2026 generation increases efficiency to 99% in ECO mode, adds native lithium-ion BMS integration (eliminating third-party battery management systems), and extends the warranty to 10 years for Li-ion configurations. For Vertiv's existing install base — which is enormous — this is an upgrade path, not a replacement. Available sizing: 250–1200kVA modules.
Eaton 9PX 20K–30K (Updated 2025): Eaton's modular UPS family received a significant firmware and hardware update targeting 10kW–30kW per-rack deployments common in edge and medium-density colocation. The updated 9PX includes enhanced parallel operation (up to 4 units for N+1 redundancy) and a new remote monitoring module that integrates with both EcoStruxure and Vertiv's Environet. Cross-brand DCIM integration is a notable differentiator for multi-vendor facilities.
ABB TeraSafe: ABB's transformer-based UPS design provides better galvanic isolation than transformerless alternatives — particularly important for facilities with sensitive research or financial trading workloads. Supports both VRLA and Li-ion battery configurations and includes ABB Ability DCIM integration. Best fit: Tier III/IV facilities and financial sector datacenters.
Schneider Electric Galaxy VS (2026 Update): The workhorse in the 10–150kVA range. The 2026 update adds field-replaceable power modules (reducing a full UPS replacement to a module swap), a new touchscreen interface with predictive maintenance alerts, and improved integration with Schneider's EcoStruxure IT platform. For facilities running Galaxy VS units, the upgrade path preserves the existing battery infrastructure.
Battery Chemistry: What's Actually Shipping
EnerSys DataSafe XE (Li-Ion, LFP Chemistry): EnerSys's datacenter-specific Li-ion battery line has become one of the most common Li-ion replacements in existing Vertiv and Eaton UPS systems. The DataSafe XE uses LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry — safer and more thermally stable than NMC, with a 10–12 year service life versus 3–5 years for VRLA. Pricing runs 2.5–3x the cost of equivalent VRLA on a per-kWh basis, but the lifecycle economics are favorable for new installations.
Saft Intensium Max+20M: Saft (part of TotalEnergies) has positioned its Intensium line as the premium choice for facilities where safety and reliability are paramount — hospitals, financial institutions, and Tier IV datacenters. The Max+20M is a rack-mounted Li-ion module with integrated fire suppression and active thermal management. It's the most expensive option in the category but also the one with the longest service history in critical environments.
The VRLA Market Isn't Dead
It's worth being clear: VRLA isn't disappearing in the near term. The installed base is enormous — there are hundreds of thousands of VRLA battery strings in operational datacenters today, all of which will need replacement on their normal cycles. For companies in the UPS maintenance and battery replacement business, this is a multi-decade revenue stream that doesn't vanish because new builds are going Li-ion.
What's changing is the mix: in 2020, roughly 90% of new datacenter battery deployments used VRLA. By 2026, that number is closer to 55%. In five years, it may be below 30%. The transition is real, but the legacy base ensures VRLA service work remains substantial well into the 2030s.
How to Position Your Business in the Transition
The vendors winning in this environment are doing two things: maintaining deep expertise in VRLA for the large replacement market, while building Li-ion certification and installation capability to compete for new builds and conversions. Companies that are Li-ion-only are leaving significant VRLA replacement revenue on the table; companies that are VRLA-only are losing new build opportunities.
The signal to watch for: when a facility posts job listings for 'lithium-ion battery systems technician' or begins sourcing Li-ion BMS units, it's almost always a precursor to a full UPS/battery modernization project. Those procurement conversations start 6–12 months before the PO is written.
Sources & Further Reading
Vertiv UPS Products — Full lineup including the Liebert EXL S1 and GXT5 families with specifications and compatibility guides.
Eaton UPS Products — 9PX, 9SX, and 9355 family details, sizing tools, and Li-ion compatibility matrices.
EnerSys Reserve Power (DataSafe) — DataSafe XE Li-ion and DataSafe HX VRLA product specifications and compatibility charts.