High tech battery maker A123 Systems is announcing a breakthrough that could lead to the production of cheaper, longer lasting lithium ion-batteries for electric cars. If successful, the new tech could serve as a lifeline for a company seeing rough times. The new technology is a step toward eliminating the need for expensive heating and cooling systems to keep A123 System's battery packs pumping, Technology Review explains. A123 Systems, like other new energy ventures, has run into difficult times due to the slow sales of electric vehicles, the New York Times reports : New models like the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt have together sold only 10,000 models this year. It didn't help that A123's partner car maker, Fisker Automotive, hit production delays on its Karma hybrid in 2011, after the battery maker invested $23 million in the company. A recall of defective batteries that same year was a further setback.