2. 1965-1985: lithium battery development

The first research work on lithium and sodium batteries was initiated at the end of the 1950s, and then intensified significantly, particularly in the United States, during the following decade under the impetus of government programmes mainly related to defence and space (NASA)  . The early 1970s saw the emergence of systems aimed more at consumer electronics applications, developed mainly by Japanese firms (Sanyo, Matsushita).

In all cases, the driver for these developments was to be the creation of embarked electrical power supply and storage systems with a...