At a recent Shanghai auto expo, the world's largest battery maker unveiled a battery it claimed could power electric aircraft or propel electric vehicles (EVs) beyond 1,000 kilometres on a single charge. Chinese Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), which makes one-third of the world's EV batteries, shared few details about the technology but said it would start mass production later this year. It was the latest in a series of big announcements for the industry, which is booming with the global shift to electrification. Battery design has been likened to a gold rush, as researchers push the boundaries of materials chemistry...