Beijing Review: Only 10 years ago, the lithium ion battery was limited to the lab experiments of pioneering scientists. Today, the innovative cell is fast becoming the driving force to power the next generation of technology. After years of toiling, the first home-made commercially viable lithium battery pack was created in 1997 in a research lab of the Tianjin Institute of Power Sources. Breaking through the strong defensive line of its Japanese competitors, the innovative battery marked the …