Toyota says it has made a technological breakthrough that will allow it to halve the weight, size and cost of batteries – something that could mark a major advance for electric vehicles.
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The world's second-largest automaker was already pursuing a plan to launch cars with advanced solid-state batteries, which offer advantages over liquid-type batteries, by 2025.
On Tuesday, the Japanese company announced that it had simplified the production of the material used to make them, calling the breakthrough a major leap forward that could dramatically reduce charging times and increase driving range.
David Bailey, professor of business economics at the University of Birmingham, said that if Toyota's claims are valid, it could be a milestone for the future of electric cars.
“Often, there are breakthroughs at the prototype stage, but then scaling up is difficult,” he said. “If it’s a real breakthrough, it could be game-changing—it’s the holy grail of battery-powered vehicles.”
Kaita said the company had developed ways to make batteries more durable and believed it could now build a solid-state battery with a range of 1,200 kilometers (745 miles), which could charge in 10 minutes or less.
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The company expects to be able to manufacture solid-state batteries for use in electric vehicles as early as 2027, according to the Financial Times, which first reported Toyota's alleged breakthrough
Solid-state batteries have been widely seen as a potential game-changer for electric vehicles, as they promise to reduce charging times, increase capacity and reduce the fire risk associated with lithium-ion batteries, which use a liquid electrolyte.
However, solid-state batteries have typically been more difficult and more expensive to manufacture , limiting their commercial application .
Toyota said it believes it can simplify the production process, potentially making solid-state batteries easier to produce than lithium-ion batteries.
The Japanese automaker has been seen as something of a laggard compared to its competitors in the electric vehicle market. In June last year, it recalled 2,700 of its early electric vehicles over concerns that the wheels could fall off.
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Last month, the Advertising Standards Authority blocked Toyota and Hyundai ads for overstating the charging speed of electric cars and misleading consumers about the availability of fast charging points in the UK and Ireland.
Source of information: theguardian.com
