Aussies Leading Way in Efficient Battery Research.

U of Texas metals labs were the ones that discovered the Tellurium caps on the electrodes that prevent dendrite formation and cause Li/S batteries from crapping out very rapidly.

So is my title overstating things a touch? I can have mods delete if you wish.

no, there a worldwide competition in the battery technology. Australia research centers have been in cooperation with U of Texas on this.

Li/S has some problems and the guys at Texas discovered the use of tellurium cathodes would prevent dendrites forming and having a flashout.
Having said all that---I dont think that Li/S will be where its going to go. I think the Cobalt and liquid electrolyte (with driven cooling) has a better chance to become a standard battery for e-cars and trucks.
They already can get 450 mile ranges with modified Li -ion batteries by using entire platforms. So, new batteries have got to show us great long term prformance.
I do businss as a "prospector" for many RREs aroun the world. and its amazing where we find some of them. Tellurium is one of the group of "chalcogenic" metals in the periodic table that inclue S, Se,Te and the Po 9radioactive one). So as such we can prospect for these wherever we find Gold, platinum, or Arsenic. Its a toxic metal , smells like Selenium or arsenic "garlicky smell " But if were driving around in our e cars and smell garlick and its not a pizza box, we better pull over.

My business is more affected by needs for RRE's and other ions like tantalum, rhodium, tellurium, and just a few of the lanthanum block of elements. I mostly deal in the bottom third of the Periodic table

The world renowned Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is at the forefront of this battery technology in my country. It has a wide portfolio of successes over many decades. Last year they researched then tested hydrogen powered Evs. They also looking at turning ammonia into hydrogen and back again to open up a massive new fuel export market.

Whoever comes up with a vehicle power source that can get about 500+ miles range on a recharge, and recharges maybe 2500 times, and has a plant built for around the world use, and they can defend their international patents, They will have a real goldmine.

Teslas, the US big flavor of the year, doesnt really have any decent range and the batteries , fully charged and used on a hot or cold day where either heat or AC is needed, only get about 150 miles range. Then you have a 6 hour charge on a 220 v gizmo. Teslas, while looking neat , are going to be last yers trick when battery technology like the Li/S/Te or the liquid battery platform come of age and are produced. I think Ford has already got a deal with the Li/S/Te tech and theyve designed a truck of over 1000 hp(equiv), and 450 mile range with heat and Radio and a refrigerator going full blast.
I know that Audi, and Porsche had something in the works for 2021 unveilings.

Im excited about e-vehicles (I like trux).

While Australia may have smart minds in this industry.. the cold hard facts are Europe, the US, Japan and South Korea has the step on us as we no longer have a vehicle manufacturing industry. There has been some talk about a local big bus. consortium taking Holden and Ford factories out of mothballs to make evs.