One of the world’s largest automakers has announced plans to mass produce a type of electric vehicle (EV) battery that will last much longer and charge much faster than current technology.
On October 8, Toyota and Japan-based Sumitomo Metal Mining announced a joint venture to mass produce cathode materials for solid-state batteries used in automakers’ battery-powered EVs.
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The statement added that the two companies will work together to “achieve the world’s first practical application of solid-state batteries” in battery-powered EVs.
A typical lithium-ion battery has a liquid electrolyte solution sandwiched between two solid electrodes. New solid-state batteries will replace the liquid electrolyte with a third solid state.
The electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries is flammable, so switching to solid-state batteries reduces the risk of fire. Solid-state batteries can also have a higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries, meaning the same size battery can power your car for a longer period of time.
Toyota Motor Corporation and Sumitomo Metal Mining have been jointly conducting material research for solid-state batteries since 2021. As part of the push for solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, the companies have developed what they call a “durable cathode material” that will serve as one of the electrodes in the planned solid-state batteries. Neither company has released details about the new cathode materials.
Sumitomo Metal Mining plans to supply this cathode material to manufacturers starting in 2028, a company spokesperson told Reuters.
A spokesperson said, “We will prioritize supply to Toyota and then respond flexibly to market demand.”
In addition to Toyota, automakers such as Honda, Nissan, BMW, and Volkswagen are developing their own solid-state batteries, either alone or in partnership with other companies. According to Inside EVs, many companies aim to launch electric vehicles with solid-state batteries within the next few years.
Honda previously announced that it would begin producing solid-state EV batteries by 2030 that can travel 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) on a single charge. This more than doubles the range of the best EVs currently on the market.
Ceramic battery maker ProLogium also unveiled a solid-state battery concept last year that can charge from 5% to 60% capacity in just five minutes.
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