Electric cars are cleaner and quieter than their gas counterparts, and today’s models even match gas autos for power and acceleration. But battery life remains problematic, with electric vehicles unable to match the range of a tank of gas.

Now scientists believe they have developed an improved battery that can nearly match the range of gas vehicles, according to Reuters. The battery also resolves problems of energy efficiency and rechargeability, and also produces much lighter-weight batteries than current battery technology.

The researchers at the University of Cambridge earlier this week announced the developments, which promise to revolutionize not only auto battery technology but also batteries for storage of renewable energy supplies used in homes and offices.

The new lithium-oxygen batteries, also called lithium-air batteries, are 93 percent energy efficient and can be recharged 2,000 times.

Current lithium-ion batteries were introduced in 1991, making modern electronics possible with small, rechargeable batteries. The lithium-air batteries may be ten times more energy dense, at one-fifth the weight and one-fifth the cost.

But so far the new batteries have proven unreliable, with energy efficiency and performance issues, as well as safety issues and problems around the need to use pure oxygen.

Previous research also looked into potential lithium hydroxide and lithium peroxide batteries.