Surprise -- Exxon develops a battery for electric cars

Just in case the world was beginning to seem too simple for you, Exxon has just begun mass-marketing a new kind of lithium-ion battery specifically designed for use in hybrids and electric vehicles.

The battery is very similar to regular lithium-ion batteries found in consumer electronics today, but the membrane that separates the cathode from the anode is thinner and stronger. This allows the battery to charge faster and hold more power per unit of weight, while also making the battery safer in the event of an accident.

A chemical division of Exxon, Tonen Chemical Corporation, is already mass producing the membrane. And Exxon says that they will be perfect for electric vehicles and hybrids. I've only found one story about the technology that doesn't read like a press release, so I don't have much to go on in the way of actual data.

It will be interesting to see how these batteries stand up to the ones that GM is producing for its Volt electric vehicle. We've already seen those things pierced by a nail with absolutely none of the fireworks we expect to see from Li-ion batteries.