The race to commercialise the benefits of solid-state battery technology into new vehicles continues with Australia’s largest brand stepping up the pace.
Toyota Motor Corporation and Sumitomo Metal Mining have signed a joint development agreement focused on the mass production of cathode materials for all-solid-state batteries.
The elusive solid-state battery, that can deliver up to 25 per cent more range, is faster to charge and safer is one of the areas of furious competition in the EV development world. Mercedez Benz has already announced it expects to have them in mass production by 2030.
Now the global Toyota Corporation has signed the deal to mass-produce cathode materials for next-generation all-solid-state batteries.
Toyota, long a leader in alternative automotive energies, pioneered the hybrid push and now ranks the hybrid RAV4 as one of its best-selling vehicles.
While it has been slower in Australia with the launch of pure EVs, this development overseas could put it back in prime position in its ability to overcome market reticence based on range and charging access.
In a statement the two corporations say a “highly durable cathode material” has been developed to overcome degradation issues and expects a market launch in 2027-28 for EVs equipped with these batteries according to EV News.
The two companies have been conducting joint research on cathode materials since approximately 2021 aiming to have overcome the issue of material degradation that occurs during repeated charging and discharging cycles.
Current EVs use liquid-based battery technologies but solid-state batteries have a cathode, anode, and solid electrolyte and offer potential for a smaller size, higher output, and longer life.