Batteries – it’s time we got to know each other better

Batteries are increasingly becoming a foundation on which society is built. Whilst the modern lithium-ion battery was largely developed to serve consumer electronics, its potential to fundamentally transform mobility and future green energy systems has led to something of a ‘second advent’ in this space. However, with this opportunity for battery technology comes challenges. Much is made in the media of issues in the supply chain, cost pressures, and recycling infrastructure of Li-ion batteries. But a more fundamental issue has not yet reached the headlines: how our understanding of those same batteries, which we so desperately need for the next generation of mobility and energy, is not evolving at the pace required for their full potential to be realised. Meanwhile, the electrification market is becoming fiercely competitive, as countries all around the world pledge to phase out internal combustion engines as part of their net-zero targets. With year-on-year EV sales having more than doubled in 2021 alone, electrification has well and truly transitioned to the mainstream. But the global battery ‘arms race’ which this popularity surge has triggered is a distraction from the storm brewing in the background around battery quality (both hardware and software), which will only intensify as millions of new electric vehicles reach maturity. And this is just the beginning; as these cars move into the latter half of their warranty periods, we find ourselves on a trajectory...