Disclosed herein is a metal-air battery having a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode has a cathode current collector and a composite of a porous carbon structure and a pseudocapacitive coating. The coating does not completely fill or obstruct a majority of the pores, and the pores can be exposed to a gas. The electrolyte is in contact with the anode and permeates the composite without completely filling or obstructing a majority of the pores.