Toyota Motors has announced a breakthrough in battery tech, with its solid-state EVs due for a launch as soon as 2027, which could charge in 10 minutes and have more than double the range of today’s lithium-ion battery EVs, with the potential for even more.
Latest reports from the Japanese automaker give an insight into its staggering leap in electric batteries, which we reported last week was one of the biggest barriers for new EV buyers. Toyota hopes to commercialise the technology by 2027 or 2028.
Extending the life of solid-state batteries has been an issue keeping the technology from attaining commercial viability, but Toyota says that it has overcome that challenge. With Toyota accelerating its research and development, there is a potential for EVs to hold charge for up to 1,500 kilometres (930 miles), marking an improvement of 2.4 times over current batteries, essentially overhauling the EV scene.
“We found quality material,” Chief Technology Officer Hiroki Nakajima said at the briefing session called ‘Let’s Change the Future of Cars’ in Toyota City, Japan. “We’ll keep up with the rest of the world and definitely put it to practical use.”
> Study finds battery health the biggest barrier for EV customers
Toyota’s solid-state pack will also be capable of charging from 10-80 per cent in less than 10 minutes, although it’s unclear at this time how much power that translates to.
Solid state batteries are often called the “unicorn” of battery technology, essentially because they hold almost a magical promise of delivering amazing energy and performance, charging times, and safety, but are really tricky to commercially produce and integrate into EVs.
Put simply, solid-state batteries utilise a solid electrolyte, replacing the flammable liquid or polymer gel found in current lithium-ion batteries, and it can take the form of ceramics, glass, sulphites or solid polymers. Thanks to the solid electrolyte having a smaller footprint, they promise some two to ten times the energy density of lithium-ion batteries of the same size.
Following the introduction of these cells and “with an eye to the future”, Toyota will develop a “higher-level specification”. This will improve range by 50 per cent compared with new lithium-ion cells, allowing a staggering 932 miles between recharges.
Toyota isn’t alone in trying to decipher the key to unlocking solid-state. Nissan is also eyeing to release an EV with a solid-state battery by the end of 2028. Its senior vice president for research and development in Europe, David Moss, said in February that they want to bring down the costs by 50 per cent, double the increased energy density and increase charging speed by three times.
BMW is also looking to unveil a concept car with a battery by 2025, and then mass-produce such vehicles by 2030. In January, the company announced a partnership deal with Solid Power’s solid-state cells in Munich. In fact, the market for all-solid-state batteries will reach 3.86 trillion yen in 2040, according to a Tokyo-based research firm.
Meanwhile, Toyota is boosting the performance of its lithium-ion batteries. As early as 2026, the company will release a next-generation EV with a range of roughly 1,000 km on a 20-minute charge.
The company is hoping to accelerate its EV business with solid-state batteries. The company sold about 20,000 EVs globally last year, but it’s aiming to expand annual sales to 1.5 million units by 2026 and 3.5 million EVs by 2030.
