Answer:
There are several limitations to making progress with engineering better batteries, including:
1. Material limitations: Current battery technology relies heavily on rare and expensive materials such as lithium and cobalt. These materials are not abundant and their extraction can have negative environmental impacts.
2. Energy density limitations: The amount of energy that can be stored in a battery is limited by the chemistry and physical properties of the materials used. This means that current batteries have limited energy density, which can limit their usefulness in certain applications.
3. Safety limitations: Lithium-ion batteries are prone to overheating and fires, which can be dangerous. Engineering batteries that are both high-performing and safe is a significant challenge.
4. Cost limitations: Developing new battery technologies is expensive, and the cost of producing new batteries can be prohibitive, especially for large-scale applications such as electric vehicles.
5. Regulatory limitations: Regulations and safety standards can limit the types of materials and technologies that can be used in batteries, which can slow down progress in developing better batteries.