[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The technology would see application in cell phones and tablets before cars.

I agree, because cars are a pretty questionable application without an increase in energy density of no less than a factor of two.

Even so, this tech might make hybrid cars a little less impractical. Slashing the objection of high life-cycle battery cost would be a real plus. Could be that a smaller battery in your hybrid, deeply cycled, would actually work OK.

But I don’t understand a hybrid powered by gasoline; if you’re going hybrid you should exploit the flexibility of the electric energy storage/retrieval to make a really drivable diesel. If you are going hybrid you are going all out for fuel efficiency - and if you’re using a gasoline engine instead of a diesel to get fuel economy, you aren’t really trying.

[jjotto]

Exactly.

A constant-rpm diesel powering batteries and/or electric motors. The constant-rpm diesel engine might be able to run on almost any kind of oil.