General Motors (GM  ) is locked in a race with Tesla (TSLA  ) for a carbon-free future. Both companies have spent untold billions in a bid to develop ubiquitous, efficient, low-cost battery packs for electric vehicles.

Yet despite GM's hefty R&D budget, it still finds itself playing runner up to Tesla. But this situation could change by the end of the decade, thanks in no small part to GM's recent partnership with SolidEnergy Systems (SES). The Woburn-based startup is the brainchild of MIT graduate Qichao Hu. MIT claims that SolidEnergy's batteries are twice as energy-dense as your standard lithium-ion battery but with a similar safety profile, according to TechCrunch.

© Steve Fecht for General Motors

The two companies plan to develop a pre-production battery by 2023. And if SES technology works as expected, Tesla might see GM catching up in its rear-view mirror.

However, it will take time for GM to catch-up. And according to new findings from Carin Energy Research Advisors, Tesla's batteries are expected to remain the most cost-effective for the next decade, CNBC reports.

Sam Jaffe, managing director at Carin ERA, pointed out to CNBC that Tesla's price lead comes down to both the scale of its operations and Elon Musk's relentless pursuit of low costs.

Still, Jaffe notes that GM may reach parity with Tesla by 2030. "GM is fully committed and is taking this complete integrative approach which is going to allow it to be very close Tesla, although the scale isn't in the same ballpark as what Tesla is planning," quoted by CNBC.

Part of GM's integrative approach is the development of its Ultium battery platform. Ultium's batteries are modular, which means GM can easily integrate them into their current lineup without disturbing production along the assembly line. GM is so confident in Ultium's ubiquity that it pledged to launch 30 new EV's by 2025.

In the meantime, GM's partnership with SES will no doubt help GM further improve its Ultium battery packs. The company's ultimate intention for the platform is to produce a battery that's 60% cheaper and can power a vehicle 450 miles on a single charge.

Lowering the cost of batteries is perhaps the most vital step toward a gas-free future. Due to batteries' cost, the average electric vehicle runs for about $53,392 while the average electric vehicle retails for $40,472.

While GM currently doesn't have similar ambitions to Tesla in terms of scaling up its production efforts,, it still plans to open a new battery production facility in Lordstown, Ohio. On the manufacturing front the new factory will help GM lower costs. On the technology front developments stemming from the SES partnership could lead to new efficiencies and allow GM to further cut back on costs.

"Affordability and range are two major barriers to mass EV adoption," said GM President Mark Reuss, quoted by TechCrunch. "With this next generation Ultium chemistry, we believe we're on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation improvement in energy density and cost. There's even more to improve in both categories, and we intend to innovate faster than any other company in this space."