Why The Biggest Battery Company Is Betting On Lithium Air. Headlines claim this battery stores as much energy as gasoline. This lithium air battery breathes, pulling oxygen straight from the surrounding air instead of packing in heavy metal cathodes. Scientists say the design could push EVs past 1,000 miles on a single charge, and a startup is already chasing it for drones and aircraft. So is this air-breathing battery actually as close to gasoline-level energy as CATL claims? Or is that number just a headline that outran the lab?