Toyota has announced a significant technological breakthrough that could revolutionize electric vehicles (EVs) by reducing the weight, size, and cost of batteries. The car manufacturer, aiming to introduce cars with advanced solid-state batteries by 2025, claims to have simplified the production process for these batteries' key material. This development is expected to have substantial benefits, including faster charging times and increased driving range, potentially marking a major advancement for EVs.
According to Keiji Kaita, president of Toyota's research and development center for carbon neutrality, the company aims to make significant advancements in the size, weight, and cost of both liquid and solid-state batteries. Toyota's goal is to halve these factors, addressing the current challenges of large, heavy, and expensive batteries. If successful, this breakthrough could have a transformative impact on the future of electric cars. David Bailey, a professor of business economics, acknowledges that scaling up from prototypes can be challenging, but if Toyota's claims hold true, it could be a gamechanger and a significant milestone for battery-powered vehicles. Kaita further added that the company has improved the durability of batteries and believes they can now develop a solid-state battery with a range of 1,200 km (745 miles) that can be charged in 10 minutes or less.
Toyota plans to start manufacturing solid-state batteries for electric vehicles by 2027, as reported by the Financial Times. Solid-state batteries have long been regarded as a potentially revolutionary technology for electric vehicles, offering advantages such as shorter charging times, higher energy capacity, and reduced fire risks compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries that use liquid electrolytes. Nevertheless, the manufacturing process for solid-state batteries has historically been challenging and expensive, hindering their widespread commercial adoption.
Toyota believes it can streamline the production process for solid-state batteries, potentially making them easier and more cost-effective to manufacture compared to lithium-ion batteries. While Toyota has been perceived as trailing behind competitors in the electric vehicle market, with past issues like a recall due to wheel concerns, the company is now focusing on advancing its battery technology. Additionally, last month, Toyota and Hyundai faced criticism from the Advertising Standards Authority for misleading advertisements that exaggerated the charging speed of electric cars and misrepresented the availability of rapid charging points in the UK and Ireland.