An appropriate model is a prerequisite for accurate state-of-charge (SOC) estimation. The widely used equivalent circuit models (ECMs) employ a variety of forms; thus, to find the optimum ECM is a primary task for SOC estimation. In this work, we examined eleven ECMs to fulfill the following goals: (1) to compare the typical ECMs for accuracy, stability, and robustness of model and SOC estimation; (2) to compare and evaluate the robustness of the ECMs considering model and sensor errors. The results indicate that the model accuracy does not always improve by increasing the order of the RC network. Conversely, over-fitting problems appear with a certain probability. The first-and second-order RC models are the best choice owing to their balance of accuracy and reliability for LiNMC batteries. The higher-order RC model has better robustness considering the variation in model parameters and sensor errors. Independently of the ECM adopted, an accurate OCV-SOC curve and high precision sensors are essential. (c) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.