For decades, batteries have powered everything from toys and toothbrushes to personal electronics and power tools. But, that's just scratching the surface. During the next decade, advanced batteries will be mass-produced for a wide variety of new applications on land, sea and air.
Engineers at NASA recently earmarked a couple of emerging technologies that may alter the way aircraft are designed and built in the coming decades. If successful, each could lead to planes that are quieter, more energy efficient and produce fewer emissions.
DETROIT—General Motors will expand production and sales of the Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle. At the same time, GM is expanding battery production for the vehicle from South Korea to a new factory in Michigan.
PIKEVILLE, KY—Battery manufacturer EnerBlu Inc. will invest $372 million to build a new assembly plant here. The company also plans to spend $40 million to move its headquarters from California to Lexington, KY. Altogether, the two facilities are expected to employ 985 people.
WOBURN, MA—Executives at Ionic Materials have announced a design breakthrough that could make solid-state alkaline batteries a viable alternative to lithium-ion and other high-energy storage technologies for computers, smartphones and electric vehicles
Rechargeable batteries are used in everything from consumer electronics and medical devices to power tools and electric vehicles. But, the ubiquitous devices can be a pain to constantly charge.
