The Powerhouse

November 10, 2014
Journalist LeVine (The Oil and the Glory) offers an inside look at the race among industrialized nations to develop a world-changing battery technology. The main players—Japan, China, South Korea, and the lagging United States—all aim to create a powerful, affordable battery to propel electric automobiles and challenge “the provenance of the internal combustion engine.” The book lays out a history of batteries, looking primarily at the period after 1977, when Exxon released the first rechargeable lithium battery. LeVine follows a number of scientists, entrepreneurs, and managers whose contributions slowly advance the technology, but it’s only when Chicago’s Argonne National Laboratory and a hopeful, venture capital–funded startup called Envia enter the picture that the race toward innovation gains momentum. The story’s intensity is bolstered by the high stakes: potential increases in economic security based on a lithium-ion battery industry in the U.S.; energy security from less reliance on foreign oil; and environmental security in the face of climate change. But LeVine wisely stays focused on the competition as it unfolds, luring readers into the drama with clear explanations of the American players involved in both the public and private sectors. Agent: Jim Levine, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency.