Toyota announced this week that it had signed a joint agreement with its Japanese company Sumitomo Metal Mining to mass produce the cathode materials needed for all-solid-state batteries (SSBs).
Unlike the current battery technology that powers most electric vehicles, which uses liquid as the electrolyte, solid-state technology replaces that liquid with a solid material, offering the possibility of smaller size, higher efficiency, faster charging speeds and longer lifespan. The potential of this technology is undoubtedly exciting, but will Toyota really be first?
“Solid-state batteries have been an obvious target for battery technology developers for decades, and many developers say this approach represents the holy grail,” says Brian Barnet, CTO of fast charging and battery technology company Nyobolt.
“It is clear that the latest generation efforts based on a small number of families of ceramic materials have made a lot of progress. Today we are seeing the first demonstrations of batteries apparently based on these materials,” he adds.
However, Toyota is not the only world-renowned company claiming that it will put this revolutionary battery technology into production before the end of the decade. Here’s how the story of solid-state batteries could play out, according to experts…
The Claim: Toyota Will Be First to Sell Solid-Battery Electric Vehicles
The auto giant, which has been relatively slow to fully electric drive and currently only offers the Bz4X and variants of its Proace van outside Japan, says it will be the first to market with a solid-state battery electric vehicle, with plans to introduce production models in 2027 or 2028.
According to Toyota, it has been conducting joint research on cathode materials for all-solid-state batteries with Sumitomo Metal Mining Company since 2021, but the two have since made breakthroughs in cathode materials using Sumitomo Metal Mining’s proprietary powder synthesis technology.
This “highly durable” cathode material can be mass produced, although Toyota said the two companies will continue to improve the performance, quality and safety of cathode materials, while looking for ways to reduce production costs.
They say this will soon lead to the world’s first practical use of all-solid-state batteries in BEVs.
The reality: several automobile brands are pursuing the same claim
China has been at the forefront of electric vehicle technology for more than a decade and its two largest battery producers, CATL and BYD, are understandably working on solid-state solutions.
According to a recent report from China Central Television (via Electrek), various universities and research institutes in the country have made significant progress in recent months that they say will help unlock all-solid-state batteries capable of traveling more than 600 miles on a single charge.
Said researchers have reportedly found a number of solutions to known electrolyte problems that are holding back the technology.
Although a solid cathode is important, SSBs also rely on a solid electrolyte. As a result, Toyota has teamed up with Japanese oil giant Idemitsu Kosan to refine a solid electrolyte based on lithium sulfide, which it hopes will help accelerate the introduction of its next-generation electric vehicles.
At the same time, Chinese company SAIC MG launched the first mass-produced vehicle with a semi-solid-state battery in its latest MG 4 model.
Although it does not offer the same solid electrolyte material, it uses an intermediate gel technology that provides some of the same benefits, while being able to be produced much cheaper and in greater numbers than current SSB alternatives.
Mercedes-Benz is also moving forward with its own technology, proven in its EQS prototype, which has already traveled 750 miles on a single charge.
BMW’s i7 solid-state prototype revealed one of the most impressive energy densities yet when it hit public roads earlier this year, with 390 Wh/kg, surpassing the 360 Wh/kg achieved by Nio’s current semi-solid technology.
Since many of the vehicles mentioned are still in development, it’s very unclear who will be the first to truly mass-produce an all-solid-state battery and make a financially viable business case for it.
“Technology is advancing, but scaling up from pilot lines to thousands of packs per year remains the bottleneck,” says Dr Kieran O’Regan, chief growth officer at About:Energy.
“Companies like QuantumScape, backed by Volkswagen, have shown promising prototypes, but the move from lab-built cells to automotive-grade packs at millions of units per year is proving slower and more expensive than initially expected,” he adds.
So while it’s plausible that Toyota will be the first to introduce a mass-produced electric vehicle with a solid-state battery in 2027, manufacturing challenges could still slow that process – it’s certainly not alone in meeting these deadlines.
Mercedes-Benz, BYD and CATL have also suggested 2027 be marked in the automotive calendars, while Honda, Volkswagen and the mighty Stellantis Group have all publicly said they are not far behind.
Still, whether Toyota is first or not, plenty of evidence suggests that the next 2-3 years are shaping up to be an exciting and pivotal time for this so-called “Holy Grail” battery technology – and for all those frustrated with the range and charging speeds of today’s lithium-ion electric vehicles.
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