Toyota claims breakthrough in solid-state batteries
Have you ever wondered why all the panels on your electric car are so thin? There is a good reason for this: weight savings. Of course, every car does not have to be heavier than necessary. But in the case of electric cars, saving weight is really essential. All those batteries are (in some cases literally) heavy as lead. Reducing the weight of all those batteries is a priority for any EV manufacturer. Toyota now claims to have made a big step in that area. It would be nice if you could also enjoy a nice bang in your EV when you slam your door.
Weight, size and cost in half
The vast majority of batteries in today’s hybrid vehicles and EVs use lithium-ion batteries. In such a battery, a liquid medium ensures the transport of ions. In a solid-state battery, the medium is therefore a solid. The advantage is that such a battery does not leak, is easier to shrink, lasts longer and is not so impressed by temperature fluctuations. Salient detail: a solid-state battery definitely burns a lot worse than a current EV battery.
Toyota had previously indicated that it was working on the technology. The plans were to market cars with solid-state batteries around 2025. Now the company has announced that the production process of the batteries has been greatly streamlined. Keiji Kaita, president of Toyota’s research department, thinks current batteries are too big, heavy and expensive. So that will change. In addition to the advantages of a smaller size and weight, solid-state batteries also charge much faster and contribute to a longer range.
Keita claims that Toyota is now able to make a battery that can give an EV 1200 kilometers of range and can be charged in 10 minutes. It would mean a lot less time at the charging station for the average EV driver. However, the expected introduction of the first car with this technology has been postponed. Toyota now indicates that it wants to market the first of these cars around 2027.
Toyota’s claims are not all equally credible
There is no doubt that the new batteries will be smaller, less heavy and have a much greater energy density. However, Keita’s claim that they will also be cheaper is questionable. Traditionally, solid-state batteries are much more difficult, and therefore more expensive, to manufacture. It is the main reason why this technology has not yet taken over the world. Almost every rechargeable battery you encounter in everyday life uses lithium-ion technology.
Hence Kaita’s claim regarding the production process is crucial. Any new technology must scale before it can be commercially deployed. If Toyota has succeeded in simplifying the production process, it could be revolutionary. Although Toyota does not have the best credentials when it comes to EV technology.
The trouble with solid-state batteries is about the medium. There is a reason why we usually use a liquid in batteries and accumulators. An electrolyte must be stable, chemically non-reactive and, crucially, conduct well. In a lithium-ion battery, this is lithium salt dissolved in an organic solvent. So that works fine. It is not impossible to find a solid with all these qualities. However, this is more difficult and therefore more expensive. Toyota logically keeps its cards to the chest, but says that they have managed to streamline the production process so well that the new batteries are potentially easier to make than lithium-ion batteries. It is a case of seeing is believing. We keep a curious eye on Toyota.
