- Toyota's big claim about solid state batteries that could be a game changer for electric cars.
- Toyota VP says it is developing all-solid-state batteries to "solve BEV issues in a single stroke."
- He did warn that there was no certainty it would be able to develop the batteries on scale though.
Toyota is working on a solution to some of the biggest issues facing electric cars.
Toyota Executive Vice President, Hiroki Nakajima, opened up about the importance of solid-state batteries in a recent interview.
He said the future battery cells were critical to resolving charging times and driving range restrictions with battery-powered electric cars.
“We are developing all-solid-state batteries with a view to solving these BEV issues in a single stroke. They offer far shorter charging times, higher output for longer range, and greatly improved durability,” said Nakajima.
Solid state batteries use a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid or gel found in current electric car batteries. This allows for rapid transfer of power between the cathode and anode.
They are also more energy dense, which means you can get more driving range from smaller batteries.
These hi-tech cells are thought to be the key to making electric sports cars, utes and four-wheel drives a success by helping to reduce weight needed to go full electric.
Nakajima warned that there was no certainty the company would be able to develop solid-state batteries on scale.
“...development is always unpredictable. Frankly, there’s no telling if it will work out or not,” said Nakajima.
"I always take encouragement from Chairman Toyoda’s reminder that, ‘It’s okay to fail’.”
Toyota has previously said it was aiming to install the batteries in cars by 2027.
Toyota isn’t the only brand working on solid-state batteries, BMW, Chery, GWM, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Nissan are just some of the big names investing heavily in the future tech.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz have gone as far as installing the new batteries in prototype cars for testing and development purposes.
Mercedes-Benz said its test showed the battery boosts range by 25 per cent compared to current batteries, but it is just the first step towards solid-state batteries that boost range by 80 per cent compared to current lithium-ion batteries.
Chinese carmakers have made a lot of noise about electric cars powered by solid-state batteries, but have yet to go as far as putting prototypes on the road. Instead they are claiming on-sale dates of vehicles fitted with the tech as early as 2026.
- Dom Tripolone, news editor.