Part of the reason that lithium-ion batteries are so popular in everything from cellular phones to automobiles is their relatively quick charge times, reasonable capacity, and resistance to fatigue. Unfortunately, Li-ion batteries are still somewhat expensive as their manufacturing process requires a good amount of energy and some of their usual metal companions, such as cobalt and nickel, are not entirely inexpensive.
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with help from the U.S. Department of Energy are working on developing Li-ion batteries which can perform at similar levels, but cost much less to produce. The cost reduction will come from a change in both production methods and materials used.
