• Lithium-ion: a green technology that delivers electricity to your hybrid car.Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  As society transitions toward renewable energy, the lithium-ion battery presents its power to a new automotive world. As of 2010, lithium-ion is a densely powered rechargeable battery with zero carbon emissions. However, vehicle designers and scientists are seeking the answer to one question: can the lithium-ion battery power your vehicle as reliably as gasoline did in the past?
  
  

Cathode

• A cathode is an electrode that holds ions in its crystals. This part of a lithium-ion battery has proven to be the greatest cost and performance challenge. Cathode materials have varying energy-carrying capacities. As of 2010, manufacturers are experimenting with the cheaper manganese as a replacement for cobalt and nickel. Vehicle manufacturers, along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have experimented with cost-efficient cathode material designs that boost battery performance.
  
  

Anode

• An anode sends a lithium-ion charge back to the cathode to produce power for your car.valve image by Aussiebloke from Fotolia.com
  
  The anode is a separate electrode which is generally composed of copper and graphite. According to HybridCars.com, lithium-ion battery designers can be compared to scientists trying to turn base metals into gold. It may be possible, but it is difficult. As of 2010, researchers were trying to stabilize metal oxide anode materials that deliver up to ten times better performance. The idea is to coax anode capacity beyond one lithium ion for every six carbon atoms.
  
  

Separator

• As with all batteries, separators must keep the positive and negative charges apart.battery image by Edsweb from Fotolia.com
  
  A lithium-ion separator carries two mandates. As named, the separator keeps the positive and negative charges apart. However, its secondary purpose may be just as important. If a lithium-ion battery overheats, the polymer-based separator melts. This stops the potentially dangerous conduction of overheated ions. In 2010, NASA researchers joined with their counterparts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to discover and test battery materials that could sufficiently withstand overheating issues in lithium-ion batteries.
  
  

Electrolyte

• Electrolytes conduct lithium-ion energy in your battery.solar energy image by Catabu from Fotolia.com
  
  The electrolyte is a lithium solvent that literally carries the electrical current. Battery manufacturers continue to seek organic solvents that conduct maximum power while being noncorrosive and nonflammable. Gels and solid polymer compounds are also factors in electrolyte technology for lithium-ion batteries. Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPE) have no liquid to spill in case of emergency, but researchers have concerns about their performance. As with the other components, electrolytes are crucial to the safe and stable performance of lithium-ion batteries. Battery designers have experimented with flame-retardant electrolytes to further enhance battery safety in mass-produced lithium-ion hybrids.
  
  

Safety Circuit

• Microchips safeguard motorists from premature charge or discharge in a lithium-ion battery.microchips image by Herbie from Fotolia.com
  
  Essentially, safety circuits control the electrical traffic as the charge moves from cell to cell. The lithium-ion battery has no external circuit control, so the safety circuits maintain the balance of a charge as it moves. These circuits inactivate a cell that may charge or discharge prematurely. When the current arrives at the cell door, the safety circuit acts as the latchkey that keeps the current moving. This process helps to avoid damage to individual cells in a lithium-ion battery. Vehicle manufacturers have used microchips as safety circuits to guard against charge and discharge problems in lithium-ion batteries.