A lithium-ion battery is a rechargeable battery that uses the element lithium (Li) as a key component. Lithium is intercalated (mixed) with graphite to form the battery’s anode (negative pole) material. Positively charged ions of lithium and electrons cross an electrolyte barrier from the anode to the cathode (positive pole) side of the battery during discharge as electrons travel through the external circuit the battery powers. The ionization process reverses when recharging the battery. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “most of today’s all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids use lithium-ion batteries.”
