Sparkng a revolution: can plug in cars create the grid of the future? Sparking a revolution: Can lithium ion batteries power the car of the future? The appearance of affordable, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in the 1990s revolutionized consumer electronics, first in video cameras and later in power tools, cell phones and of course laptop computers. The next generation of lithium-ion batteries — now emerging from the research labs — could have an even greater influence on the way we live. Imagine a world where today’s gas-guzzlers are replaced by millions of battery-powered cars plugged into a ‘green’ electricity grid. Effective lithium-ion batteries could even tip the balance in favour of an increased reliance on renewable electricity sources such as wind and solar power by providing a distributed electricity storage network. In a News Feature, Jeff Tollefson reports on the latest developments in and future prospects for lithium-battery technology and talks to the experts about when and whether electric cars will consign the internal combustion engine to motoring history.