As electric vehicles become more and more popular, scientists are focused on improving their battery technology. Right now, a typical electric vehicle can't get you much farther than 160 kilometers on a single charge, but an in-development lithium-air battery could triple the range to 480 kilometers or more. Researchers at this week's meeting of the American Chemical Society described their work on a “breathing” battery that could replace the standard lithium-ion batteries. The technology works by replacing the cathode, a key battery component, with air, making the battery lighter and leaving more room for electric energy that could power the cars.
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