IBM Wants to Build a Better Battery for Electric Vehicles (GOOG, IBM)

When Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) introduced its driverless car last year, many people wondered what that had to do with Internet search. More than two years ago, IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) established a research team to come up with better battery technology to power electric vehicles (EVs). That didn’t get as much attention as Google’s driverless car, but it’s just as unexpected.

The IBM team has attacked the EV problem primarily as one of range because that is the single biggest concern among potential buyers of EVs. IBM is developing a lithium-air battery that would be lighter than current lithium-ion batteries and have a 500-mile range.

The company has a five-minute video and more information here.