Envia Systems claims energy density record for lithium-ion batteries

- Two to 3 times times current energy density
- testing by ARPA-E
- $7 million from GM

Ticks all the boxes for a serious effort with good prospects for real world production.

Hopefully, all the above & the, "should cost less than half the price of existing li-ion batteries", makes it into production soon.

More at:

http://www.gizmag.com/envia-systems-record-lithium-ion-battery/21653/

New battery promises to bring 300 mile electric cars to the masses

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1073442_new-battery-promises-to-bring-300-mile-electric-cars-to-the-masses

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/envia-li-ion-battery-yields-world-record-energy-density-41768.html

NMR imaging used to catch performance-killing flaws inside batteries

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/02/nmr-imaging-used-to-catch-performance-killing-flaws-inside-batteries.ars

/ metallic microstructure NMR resonance /

IBM lithium-air battery project looks promising

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/ibm-lithium-air-battery-project-looks-promising-35422.html

/ rechargeable density electrolyte positive unstable oxygen /

Air battery to let electric cars outlast gas guzzlers

Electric vehicles have 3 problems which limit their usefulness as a general purpose replacement for an internal combustion engine vehicle.  This development holds out the hope of a solution to the range problem by 2020.

No news on time to recharge or cost.

http://www.newscientist.com/mobile/article/mg21328466.200-air-battery-to-let-electric-cars-outlast-gas-guzzlers.html

Hey, electric cars don't totally suck: a realistic sort-of rebuttal

http://boingboing.net/2012/01/05/hey-electric-cars-dont.html

As good as good enough gets

2012 Honda Civic Hybrid road test.

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/12/civic-hybrid/?pid=2112

Chevrolet Volt cold weather range

http://www.mychevroletvolt.com/chevrolet-volt-cold-weather-range

Researchers increase charging rate & capacity of lithium ion batteries by a factor of ten

Yet another new battery which promises much.  Reserving judgment for now.

+ 10 x capacity of competition

+ 10 x charge rate

-  Relatively rapid deterioration of charge capacity with use

+ when the capacity has halved after a year of use, it's still five times better than the competition

http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/researchers-increase-charging-capacity-speed-of-lithium-ion-bat/

Global lithium availability — a constraint for electric vehicles?

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/69226

Better lithium-ion batteries are on the way from Berkeley Lab

http://newscenter.lbl.gov/news-releases/2011/09/23/better-li-ion-batteries/

Another promising lithium ion battery advance

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?8973

Tesla Model S (video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx6YLrjJ7YA&feature=related

Electric car – problems solved?

This seems too good to be true.  All the difficulties of electric cars (range, charging time, cost) solved.  But it's reported all across the Web.  Just Google "DBM Energy's Electric Car Battery Is Real".

Or have a look at: 

http://www.allcarselectric.com/blog/1058119_its-official-dbm-energys-electric-car-battery-is-real

Tesla CEO Thinks Capacitors Will Power Future Electric Cars

Gizmodo 

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/04/tesla-ceo-thinks-capacitors-will-power-future-electric-cars/ 

Gizmag 

http://www.gizmag.com/welsch-capacitor-ev-apra-e/17174/ 

Gigaom 

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/tesla-ceo-id-bet-on-capacitors-over-batteries/ 

CSIRO 

http://www.csiro.au/science/Supercapacitors.html

Lithium-air Batteries May Give Electric Cars The Same Range As Petrol Cars

http://www.risoe.dtu.dk/News_archives/News/2011/0328_Li_battery.aspx?sc_lang=en