Sci-Tech: Aluminum battery from Stanford group is low cost, fast charging, and long-lasting

A low cost battery developed at Stanford using an aluminum anode and a graphite cathode displays very fast charging and long life: Aluminum battery from Stanford offers safe alternative to conventional batteries: The new aluminum-ion battery could replace many of the lithium-ion and alkaline batteries in wide use today – Stanford Univ.

However, it holds about one half the energy density of Lithium-ion batteries. So not so good for cars and other transports. But for many apps, charging in only a minute would be a winning feature regardless.

Elon Musk, whose Tesla Motors company is constructing a Gigafactory for super mass production of Li-ion batteries, is skeptical: Elon Musk on Twitter:

Battery “breakthroughs” need to state power *and* energy density (not the same thing), plus how long they last. They usually fail on energy.