Toyota Motor: Mass production of solid-state batteries has taken an important step, solid-state batteries will not change the rules of the game

Battery technology will affect the development and pattern of new energy vehicles. Compared with the lithium battery route adopted by China, Japan had previously insisted on developing hydrogen fuel cells. At the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota had to admit that its hydrogen fuel cell car Mirai had not been successful.

Toyota’s chief technology officer revealed that the development of hydrogen-fueled electric vehicles is hindered mainly because there are too few hydrogen refueling stations. But Toyota will not give up this technology and will apply it to the commercial vehicle field.

In addition to hydrogen fuel cells, Toyota's solid-state battery research and development has attracted even more attention. At the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota President Tsuneharu Sato also announced the latest progress.

Tsuneji Sato said: "Toyota is committed to large-scale mass production of solid-state batteries and has taken an important step. As far as the current research and development progress is concerned, we are confident in the mass production of solid-state batteries. In the process of scale and commercialization , Toyota will launch pilot projects and will address mass production challenges. We must accelerate this process and remain flexible."

Current lithium iron phosphate batteries and ternary lithium batteries are both liquid electrolytes, which have hidden dangers of flammability and volatility. Therefore, solid-state batteries have more advantages in safety, stability and battery life. In addition, solid-state batteries have greater capacity and can provide longer driving range.

As for the breakthrough of solid-state batteries, can Toyota "counterattack" and become the leader of the electric vehicle industry? Sato said that just because we have solid-state battery technology, it will not change the rules of the game. Because the value of a product does not only depend on the application of battery technology, the core factor that determines competition in the era of electric vehicles is still the product.

According to Toyota's plan, solid-state batteries will be used in the next generation of pure electric vehicles in 2027-2028. Its first solid-state battery electric vehicle will have a range of about 1,000 kilometers, and the time to replenish the battery from 10% to 80% will be within 10 minutes.