Boffins tout The Li-ion King

A research operation spun out from MIT says it has found a way to effectively double the power output of lithium ion batteries.

The team said that by using an "anode free" design, they are able to double the power density of the lithium-ion packs. This will allow the batteries to run for twice as long on a single charge without changing the size or lifespan of the battery pack.

SolidEnergy, the company spun out by the group of MIT researchers, plans to begin offering the technology to battery manufacturers for smartphones early next year, with plans to scale the packs up to electric car batteries in 2018. ®