Toyota’s strategy includes three new liquid electrolyte battery technologies to achieve higher power, longer driving range, faster charging and lower cost
and mass production of solid-state batteries.
They will have next generation batteries. Toyota next generation BEV models will account for 1.7 million of the 3.5 million BEVs Toyota expects to sell globally by 2030.
Three main battery types are under development: Performance, Popularised and High Performance.
1. Performance (lithium-ion): planned for introduction with the next generation Toyota BEVs from 2026, the Performance lithium-ion battery will increase driving range to more than 800km (497 miles), when combined with improved vehicle aerodynamics and reduced vehicle weight.
The Performance battery is also expected to offer: –
20 per cent cost reduction compared to the current Toyota bZ4X BEV
Rapid recharging time of 20 minutes or less for SOC 10 – 80 per cent
2. Popularisation (lithium iron phosphate): Toyota is developing high-quality, lower-cost batteries to give customers a range of options, similar to the choice they have today with different powertrains.
The Popularisation battery is constructed using the bipolar technology Toyota pioneered for its nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries, combined with inexpensive lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo) as the core material. Toyota expects the battery to reach the market in 2026-27.
It is expected to offer: –
20 per cent increase in driving range compared to the current Toyota bZ4X
40 per cent reduction in cost compared to the current Toyota bZ4X
Fast recharging time of 30 minutes or less for SOC (state-of-charge) 10 – 80 per cent
3. High-performance (lithium-ion): Toyota is also developing a High-performance battery that combines the bipolar structure with lithium-ion chemistry and a high nickel cathode to achieve a driving range capability of more than 1,000km (621 miles), when combined with improved aerodynamics and reduced vehicle weight.
The High-performance battery is expected to offer: –
A further 10 per cent reduction in cost compared to the Performance battery
Rapid charging time of 20 minutes or less for SOC 10 – 80 per cent
Expected market introduction in 2027/28
Breakthrough with solid-state batteries
Solid-state batteries have long been regarded as a potential game-changer for BEVs. Toyota has made a breakthrough in its quest to improve the durability of this technology.
Toyota solid-state lithium-ion batteries have a solid electrolyte that allows for faster movement of ions and a greater tolerance of high voltages and temperatures. These qualities make the batteries suitable for rapid charging and discharging and delivering power in a smaller form.
Until now the trade-off has been an expected shorter battery life, but Toyota’s recent advances have overcome this challenge and the company has moved its focus to bringing solid-state batteries into mass production. The aim is for the batteries to be ready for commercial use by 2027/28.
The technology was initially slated for introduction in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), but now Toyota’s primary focus is on its use in next generation BEVs.
Toyota’s first solid-state battery is expected to offer: –
20 per cent increase in driving range compared to the Performance battery (approx. 1,000km/621 miles)
Fast charging time of 10 minutes or less for SOC 10 – 80 per cent
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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Got a Corolla cross hybrid.
The battery is small and only works as a buffer to keep the gasoline engine running at optimum efficiency, but it would be nice if I could replace the old battery with a larger one.
Tesla vs. Toyota Is the New Hot Battle in Cars https://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-vs-toyota-is-the-new-hot-battle-in-cars-571a8e68
Toyota’s motto has long been ‘Reliability > Innovation. It has served them well for 40 years.
Elon Musk came along and said ‘Innovation > Reliability. He blew up the car market with affordable and profitable BEVs.
Now it’s a race to see who can deliver on the equation of ‘Superior innovation + Superior Reliability = Total Domination of the BEV market.
Is Toyota truly at the precipice of mass producing solid-state batteries that are cost competitive and rugged enough for real world conditions? Or are we being gaslighted for the 14th year in a row?
Is Tesla truly at the precipice of mass producing a ‘highly reliable $~25,000 car and true ‘level-4 Full Self Driving’? Or are we being gaslighted for the 7th year in a row?
My money is on Tesla to the tune of a few thousand shares. But I’m not betting against Toyota, either…
People love Toyotas,worldwide. Such reliable engineering.
Toyota really needs to relearn how to make compelling vehicles. The (wretchedly named) BZ4X is lackluster in every category and expensive too. Toyota seems to excel at making vehicles that are completely unremarkable.