TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The battery pack (B1): comprises not greater than 120 lithium ion batteries; and has an energy capacity at full discharge of at least 16 kilowatt-hours based on full depth of discharge. The positive electrode comprises an active composition of formula (eLi2M1O3.(1-x)LiMO2) (II). The battery pack (B2): comprises not greater than 240 lithium ion batteries; and has an energy capacity of at least 40 kilowatt-hours after 250 charge-discharge cycles to 50% depth of discharge. In the battery pack (B2): each string of batteries provides at least 400V at 50% depth of discharge after 250 charge discharge cycles to 50% depth of discharge; each battery comprises an electrolyte comprising lithium hexafluorophosphate and/or lithium tetrafluoroborate, a solvent comprising ethylene carbonate and a liquid organic solvent, and an electrolyte stabilizing additive; and each battery comprises 30-38 positive electrode plates, a corresponding number of negative electrode plates stacked to alternate with the cathode plates, a separator between adjacent cathode plates and anode plates and where the battery has an energy density of at least 300 Wh/l and a total capacity of at least 40 Ah. In the battery pack (B2) and the lithium ion pouch battery (B3), the positive electrode active composition is a particulate having a stabilizing inorganic coating, which has average thickness of 0.5-40 nm. The lithium ion pouch battery (B3) has a: volume of 300000-450000 mm3; and weight of 0.75-1.05 kg. The negative electrode comprises graphitic carbon, and has a thickness of 45-200 microns on a single side of a current collector (148). In the lithium ion pouch battery (B3), the battery: exhibits a room temperature voltage limited power density of at least 1000 W/kg at a 50% state of discharge with 10 second pulses of 60 Amps discharge and a 45 Amp charge with a 40 second rest between discharge and charge at a 1C rate; and has a direct current electrical resistance of not greater than 7 milliohms at a 50% state of charge based on a 10 second pulse at a rate of 1C at room temperature. The lithium ion pouch battery (B4) comprises 31-37 positive electrode plates, a specific energy of at least 200 Wh/kg and a total capacity of at least 45 Ah based on full depth of discharge.e = 0.1-0.5 or 0.05-0.8. Preferred Definitions:    b = 0.025-0.25;    a = 0.1-0.4;    x = 0.25-0.65;    p = 0-0.4;    y = 0.01-0.15;    z = 0; and    A = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn and/or Cd.