Nature Communications, Published online: 17 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-77667-x Understanding factors that influence Li+ transport in liquid electrolytes is required for high-energy lithium metal batteries. Here, authors show that low polarizability solvents form anion-rich solvates, lower desolvation energy, and stable interphases enabling cycling at −35 °C, in Ah-scale pouch cells with 541.6 Wh kg-1 specific energy, and in initially anode-free pouch cells