This CNBC Special Report discusses how the striking and swift evolution of cell phones from cumbersome bricks to sleek, powerful devices was possible because of the lithium-ion batteries used to charge them up. Next-gen batteries could bring the kind of change we’ve seen in telephones to electric vehicles and the grid.

“This is sort of a ‘storage moment’,” said JCESR’s George Crabtree. “We’re looking for batteries to do for transportation and the electricity grid what they’ve done for personal electronics, to really make a huge change in the way these systems operate.”