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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Interesting Engineering or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: A joint team from South Korea’s KAIST and LG Energy Solution has unveiled a lithium-metal battery breakthrough that enables up to 800 km (497 miles) of range on a single charge and 12-minute recharge times
• This marks a major advancement in electric vehicle (EV) battery performance, achieved by resolving the long-standing issue of dendrite formation—a key barrier to commercialising lithium-metal batteries
🔭 The context: Lithium-metal batteries, which replace the graphite anode in conventional lithium-ion cells with pure lithium, offer significantly higher energy density
• However, they have been limited by dendrite formation, which compromises safety and reduces lifespan, particularly under fast-charging conditions
• The new solution uses a “cohesion-inhibiting” liquid electrolyte to ensure uniform lithium deposition, thereby preventing dendrites and maintaining battery integrity
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: If commercialised, this innovation could accelerate EV adoption by easing range anxiety and drastically improving charging convenience—two major consumer barriers
• It also supports decarbonisation by enhancing the viability of long-distance electric transport, reducing dependence on fossil-fuel vehicles
• More efficient batteries also reduce the overall environmental footprint of EV production by requiring fewer cells for the same range
⏭️ What's next: The research, developed through a four-year collaboration under LG and KAIST’s Future Research Laboratory (FRL), is now poised for industrial scaling
• Future steps include real-world durability testing, safety validation under various driving conditions, and integration into commercial battery packs
• If successful, it could inform next-generation EV models by the late 2020s, with LG expected to play a key role in deployment through its supply agreements with global automakers
💬 One quote: “This technology overcomes the slow charging speed... while maintaining high energy density. It enables a long driving range and stable operation even with fast charging.” — Joint press release, LG Energy Solution & KAIST
📈 One stat: The new battery can deliver 497 miles of range and support charging in just 12 minutes, with an expected lifespan exceeding 300,000 km (186,411 miles)
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