Tag: Portable electronics

According to the Department of Energy, the energy density of lithium-ion batteries has steadily increased over the last few decades, powering innovations from smartphones to electric vehicles. While this sounds like an undeniable benefit, is a higher energy density better in all applications? Not always, as this metric presents a complex set of advantages and disadvantages.

According to research by QuantumScape, improved energy density could lead to electric vehicles with significantly longer ranges and lighter consumer electronics. The fundamental question, "what does energy density do?" is central to innovations in batteries and fuels, dictating everything from a smartphone's battery life to an EV's travel distance.

The energy density of modern lithium-ion batteries has steadily increased over the past few decades, enabling electric vehicles to travel hundreds of miles on a single charge. This capacity to pack more power into a smaller, lighter package has reshaped entire industries and pushed the boundaries of technological innovation.