Toyota has struck a deal with fellow Japanese company Idemitsu Kosan to mass produce ultra-high-range EVs with solid-state batteries.
It's the first major update on the company's plans to be the first to offer these next-gen batteries. Toyota says the new technology will eventually enable EVs to go 932 miles on a single charge and power up in just 10 minutes, due to the higher energy density.
Idemitsu Kosan, Japan's second-largest oil refiner, may seem like an unlikely partner for the EV space. But Toyota says Idemitsu has been working on developing the "elemental technologies" for the batteries since 2001, five years before Toyota began pursuing them in 2006.
Specifically, Idemitsu has been working on developing a new material to go in the batteries, a solid sulfide electrolyte. With the partnership, Toyota aims to combine Idemitsu's material expertise with its own production prowess to make solid-state batteries a reality for consumers.
"This collaboration focuses on sulfide solid electrolytes, which are seen as a promising material to achieve high capacity and output for BEVs [battery electric vehicles]," Toyota says. "Sulfide solid electrolytes are characterized by softness and adhesiveness to other materials, which is suitable for battery mass production."
Toyota laid out a three-phase plan toward a goal of commercializing solid-state batteries by 2027-2028. However, that doesn't mean solid-state EVs will be widely available at that time, as "full-scale mass production" will begin after. It also remains to be seen what markets Toyota would launch them in, and how much they would cost. They are likely to be more expensive, and remain that way for years, Reuters predicts.
In the first phase, Toyota and Idemitsu "will work together on creating better sulfide solid electrolytes with attention to quality, cost, and lead times." This will occur at an Idemitsu-owned pilot facility.
Once the material is up to snuff, the second phase will commence. At that point, Idemitsu will construct a larger pilot facility and "obtain mass production technology." Finally, in phase three, "full-scale mass production" begins.
Honda has also teased plans to introduce EVs with solid-state batteries by the end of the decade. Both Honda and Toyota have been criticized for moving slowly on EVs, especially compared with Tesla and Chinese automaker BYD, and are racing to catch up.
Earlier this year, Toyota ousted a CEO who had previously expressed hesitations about moving toward a fully electric lineup. With a new CEO at the helm, it then restructured the company around EVs, dubbing its luxury Lexus brand as its flagship for electrics.
Toyota's EV lineup currently consists of just two models, the Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ, both with average to low electric range. Being the first to offer solid-state batteries could give it a leg up in an area where it's fallen behind.
"Toyota believes that the key to changing the future of cars is a collaboration between the automotive and energy industries," Koji Sato, president and CEO of Toyota, said in a press conference (video below). "Our two companies [Idemitsu and Toyota] will unite to produce solid state batteries and to realize innovations originating in Japan."