IBM started the Battery 500 Project in 2009 to develop a lithium-air battery that could power an electric car for 500 miles. Lithium-air batteries have a much higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries, theoretically allowing an electric car to travel much farther on a single charge. However, earlier versions of lithium-air batteries were unstable and their lifetime was reduced after frequent recharging. IBM researchers have now developed an alternative electrolyte material that could stabilize the chemical reactions and allow for a working lithium-air battery prototype by 2013 and commercial batteries by 2020.