Obviously ICE are powered by cobalt mine the gasoline you buy when you fill up at a gas station. The electric motor/generator is powered by a large (and by large, I mean large and heavy) battery pack. Most hybrids on the road today have large Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery packs somewhere near the trunk, or under the seats. (Read about the Lexus Hybrid battery pack).
Nonetheless, the Volt is not something in GM's immediate plans. The idea for the Volt would require that a cost efficient 400-lb lithium-ion battery be found. lithium facts-ion batteries of this size are not currently available. Further advances in battery technology would be required to allow GM to consider making the Volt a production car. These are enhancements that could occur in as little as a year, or as many as 20 years. GM has stated that they feel the technology is almost there, yet a vehicle like this is probably about a decade away.
2) Battery freshness: often overlooked. Always make sure you have the freshest battery possible. A battery can lose it's ability to hold a charge as time goes on. You want batteries that move off of shelves quickly to be sure they aren't old.
For this cordless drill comparison I decided that the chemical properties weren't important to me. What mattered was why an Li-ion battery may be better than a nicad battery. My drill comparison came up with 2 major reasons. Li-ion batteries weight is about half that of a nicad battery. In other words when you hold a 18 volt lithium bettery stock ion powered cordless drill driver over your head you will notice a major difference in the weight over that of a 18 volt nicad drill driver.
For any new laptop, the battery usually comes empty. It's advisable to charge at least 4 hours non-stop on the first charging as it can prolong the lifespan of the battery. Also during the first charging, it is not advisable to use the laptop battery at all.
The thing to realize about any battery is it does have a measurable lifespan and efforts to extend it will help but not stop the eventual demise. So the number one thing that you can do to extend the life of any of the newer lithium batteries is always take it out if you are running on DC power to lessen the heat impact. Whenever buying any replacement battery, always check the manufacture date and try to find the newest one available.