The basic formulation of lithium-ion batteries has changed little since 1991, and Lampe-Onnerud estimates that the basic lithium-ion battery's energy density reached its current level, its maximum, in 2004. "The biggest problem that the industry faces is the commoditization of the technology," she says. "Instead of having a battery that services the application, the applications have to go to one type of battery that services different types of applications. The result is that laptop batteries routinely experience shortfalls: A laptop might run for four hours the first day, and, two months later, it runs for two hours, and, four months later, it runs for barely an hour. And then you have to throw that battery away."
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