Has the Big Battery Breakthrough Finally Arrived?

Global manufacturers have talked about a “game-changing” leap in battery technology for years.

While some improvements have been made, the basic lithium-ion battery that powers our laptops, mobile phones, and electric cars is not much different from the one that Panasonic pioneered back in 1991. But that may be about to change.

After years of refining the science and manufacturing of new battery designs, researchers now predict that innovations are likely years—rather than decades—away.

Among the areas of improvement, they say, are increased energy density (more juice, smaller size), lower prices, faster ...