Most conventional electric vehicles and mobile phones use lithium-ion batteries, which have an electrolyte gel inside them to separate the positively charged graphite anode from the negatively charged lithium cathode.
These are relatively cheap to make but suffer from thermal runaway – heat them beyond a specific temperature and an unstoppable chain reaction causes them to disintegrate in fiery explosions.
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Solid-state batteries replace the electrolyte gel with a solid material such as ceramic or glass, which makes them less flammable, faster charging, lighter, and higher power.
At present, they’re still under development and remain costly to manufacture. This may soon change, as companies are spending billions on the development of this new technology.
Read more:
- Why do batteries explode?
- How are batteries recycled?
- How do lithium-ion batteries self-extinguish?
- Why can’t you recharge batteries instantly?
Asked by: John Awbery, via email
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- This article first appeared in issue 374 of BBC Science Focus Magazine – find out how to subscribe here