Toyota Partners with Petroleum Company Idemitsu to Develop Solid-State Batteries for Mass-Market EVs

Toyota Partners with Petroleum Company Idemitsu to Develop Solid-State Batteries for Mass-Market EVs

Toyota Collaborates with Idemitsu to Leverage Sulfide Solid Electrolytes in the Quest for High-Performance Solid-State Batteries for Electric Vehicles.

The collaborative venture between Toyota and Idemitsu will be executed in three key phases. The first phase is centered around the development of superior sulfide solid electrolytes, with a dedicated focus on quality, cost-effectiveness, and lead times.

The second phase entails the construction of a substantial pilot facility by Idemitsu, with the objective of achieving mass production of solid electrolyte-based batteries. Simultaneously, Toyota will oversee the integration of these innovative all-solid-state batteries into its next-generation battery electric vehicles (BEVs), preparing them for a market launch during the 2027-2028 timeframe.

In the third and final phase, both companies will engage in the quest for future solutions to enable full-scale production and sales of EVs equipped with solid-state batteries. While a specific timeline for the three-phase plan was not disclosed, Toyota’s President and CEO, Koji Sato, highlighted a significant technical challenge for solid-state batteries. He emphasized that the repeated charging and discharging of the battery leads to the formation of cracks between the anodes, cathodes, and solid electrolytes, resulting in a decline in battery performance. Nevertheless, through persistent trial and error and the amalgamation of material technologies from both companies, they have successfully developed a crack-resistant material that demonstrates outstanding performance. This breakthrough, coupled with Toyota’s cathode and anode materials and battery expertise, paves the way toward achieving both exceptional performance and durability in solid-state batteries.