Portable laptops probably have done more to stimulate battery technology than anything. If it were easy to make a really good and durable battery, we would all be driving electric cars already. It’s not a better motor we are waiting for, it’s a battery capable of going more than 100 miles on a charge and holding up for more than 1000 charge/disharge cycles.
Lead acid golf cart batteries will take you the distance of 18 holes or more and are generally at the end of their service life after about 400-500 charge/discharge cycles.