A broad range of electrolyte compositions may be utilized in the construction of Li and Li-ion batteries and other metal and metal-ion batteries. However, for improved cell performance (e.g., low and stable resistance, high cycling stability, high rate capability, etc.), the optimal choice of electrolyte needs to be developed for specific types and specific sizes of active particles in both the anode and cathode, as well as the specific operational conditions (e.g., temperature, charge rate, discharge rate, voltage range, capacity utilization, etc.). In many cases, the choice of electrolyte components and their ratios is not trivial and can be counter-intuitive.