(MIT: Cambridge, MA) -- To help combat climate change, many car manufacturers are racing to add more electric vehicles to their lineups. But to convince prospective buyers, manufacturers need to improve how far these cars can go on a single charge. One of the main challenges is figuring out how to make extremely powerful but lightweight batteries.

Typically, however, it takes decades for scientists to thoroughly test new battery materials, says Pablo Leon, an MIT graduate student in materials science. To accelerate this process, Leon is developing a machine-learning tool for scientists to automate one of the most time-consuming, yet key, steps in evaluating battery materials.

With his tool in hand, Leon plans to help search for new materials to enable the development of powerful and lightweight batteries. Such batteries would not only improve the range of EVs but could also unlock potential in other high-power systems, such as solar energy systems that continuously deliver power, even at night.

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