E-Mail IMAGE: Short circuits in lithium metal batteries usually result from the lithium depositing unevenly on the anode during the charging process, forming protruding sharp needles known as dendrites. These cause the... view more Credit: Illustration: Yen Strandqvist/Chalmers University of Technology There are high hopes for the next generation of high energy-density lithium metal batteries, but before they can be used in our vehicles, there are crucial problems to solve. An international research team led by Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has now developed concrete guidelines for how the batteries should be charged and operated, maximising efficiency while minimising the risk of short circuits.