Inventors
John Goodenough
1922–2023 · Cathode chemist of lithium-ion
United States / Britain
Whittingham stored lithium in a cathode; Yoshino made a safe anode architecture; Goodenough’s oxide chemistry raised voltage so a camcorder, then a phone, then a car could live on a pack. He received a Nobel at 97. Portable power is a chemistry problem that escaped the lab.
Why it mattered
- Raised energy density enough for consumer electronics.
- Opened the practical electric car as a chemistry, not a slogan.
