Written by / Ma Xiaolei
Editor/ Zhang Linyu
Design / Zhao Haoran
Source/thedetroitbureau by Paul A. Eisenstein
Solid-state battery technology can improve battery life, shorten charging time, reduce vehicle costs, and is expected to eliminate the current risk of lithium-ion battery fire, which is regarded by many as a potential breakthrough technology.
Toyota looks set to be the first automaker to use next-generation solid-state batteries in mass production.
Gill Pratt, a senior researcher and CEO of the company's research center, revealed in an interview with foreign media that Toyota plans to take the lead in using solid-state batteries in hybrid vehicles and commercialize solid-state batteries by 2025.
Jill Pratt gives an online interview to foreign media▼
A breakthrough in the industry
Several automakers are working to bring solid-state batteries to market, either choosing internal research and development or external collaboration. But many have also warned that the technology will be difficult to commercialize on a large scale until 2025.
Before Toyota, Nissan was the only automaker that had set a specific timeline for the commercialization of solid-state batteries.
At a press conference in November 2021, Japan's second-largest automaker said it would invest $1.23 billion to develop solid-state batteries, launch a pilot plant in Yokohama, Japan, in 2024, and put it into mass production by 2028.
Nissan expects solid-state batteries to reduce the cost of battery packs for electric vehicles to $75 per kWh by 2028, with the ultimate goal of falling below $65.
Toyota's electrified vehicles in cooperation with Toyota Corporation ▼
In interviews, there was speculation that Toyota's solid-state batteries would be the first to appear in the pure electric vehicle lineup, such as one of the new bZ (Beyond Zero) models that the company is developing.
Pratt's response was unexpected, saying: "The first to apply solid-state batteries will be a hybrid car." The explanation given by Toyota is that the company's electric plan focuses mainly on batteries, rather than pure electric vehicles. But it's unclear whether he's referring to a conventional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid.
Until now, solid-state batteries have been limited to laboratory applications. Some manufacturers have allegedly begun testing large batteries. According to Japanese sources, Toyota has been testing the technology on a prototype of a Tundra pickup.
Toyota's approach to all-electric vehicles has always been cautious, with CEO Akio Toyoda predicting that hybrids will still account for about two-thirds of the automaker's total global sales by 2030.
Some speculate that the Prius hybrid is most likely to try solid-state batteries first. This could help boost Prius sales, and traditional hybrids are a bigger test for solid-state batteries.
In the past few years, the once-popular hybrid has faded, and Toyota insiders have revealed that the automaker is looking for ways to revive the car.
A bigger test
Due to the special way hybrids operate, the use of solid-state technology in hybrid vehicles is more challenging for batteries. Sam Abuelsamid, chief automotive analyst at Guidehouse Insights, said vehicles like the Prius constantly charge and discharge batteries.
Pratt also said this will put the technology more rigorously tested, noting: "We want to start by putting solid-state batteries in vehicles with a longer lifespan while fully exercising them." So that with the continuous reduction of costs, solid-state batteries can be promoted to pure electric vehicles in the future. ”
In fact, the basic chemical composition used in solid-state batteries is roughly the same as that of lithium-ion technology. But solid-state batteries rely not on the chemical slurry in traditional batteries, but on a matrix that can be made of foam or solids such as ceramics.
Jill Pratt, vice president of Toyota, said it makes sense to make the first attempt at solid-state batteries on hybrid vehicles
Many advantages
Solid-state battery technology virtually eliminates the risk of battery fire. This problem has caused a lot of trouble for automakers and their battery suppliers. In August 2021, Chevrolet had to recall about 142,000 Bolt electric vehicles due to a series of battery fire incidents. Tesla and other manufacturers have experienced similar fire problems.
In addition to that, solid-state batteries have many other potential advantages. Solid-state batteries are widely expected to be much smaller and lighter than today's lithium-ion batteries. They are predicted to produce a higher density of energy. Another important advantage is that the charging time is shorter, almost the same as the refueling time of the fuel vehicle.
Another key advantage is the cost of solid-state batteries. Current batteries average $100 to $150 per kilowatt-hour, while many manufacturers aim to reduce the cost of solid-state batteries to less than $65. For a car with a 100 kWh battery pack, it could save more than $8,000. This, in turn, will make the cost of pure electric vehicles comparable to that of gasoline vehicles.
Solid-state battery manufacturers
Solid-state batteries have always been an area that many suppliers are constantly trying to conquer, and they are still a project that investment institutions are keen on. The following is a list of global solid-state battery manufacturing companies collected by Automotive Business Review, which also includes the domestic Ningde era.
Solid Power: An all-solid-state battery developer for electric vehicles based in Louisville, the company's all-solid-state battery technology is expected to provide key improvements to today's traditional liquid lithium-ion battery technology and next-generation hybrid batteries, including: high-content silicon anodes, sulfide solid electrolytes, and NMC cathodes.
Quantumscape: An American company that studies solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles, headquartered in San Jose, California, employs about 400 people and includes Bill Gates and Volkswagen.
Samsung SDI: The company announced on May 25 that it will develop large-scale all-solid-state battery and all-solid-state battery prototypes by 2025 and start mass production in 2027. It also said it was second only to Toyota in terms of the number of international patents related to all-solid-state battery technology.
LG Chem: South Korea's LG Energy Solutions and the University of California, San Diego have jointly developed next-generation solid-state batteries that are safer and more durable than existing batteries. The new battery technology, which performs 500 charge-discharge cycles at room temperature and a capacity retention rate of 80 percent, is an "exciting advance" for the solid-state battery community, the company said.
Ilika: A pioneer in solid-state battery technology, providing solutions for applications such as the Industrial Internet of Things, medical technology, electric vehicles and consumer electronics.
Brightvolt: The company is developing a new, disruptive solid-state polymer electrolyte for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in consumer electronics and electric vehicles. Batteries based on the company's patented polymer matrix electrolyte technology offer superior higher density, lower cost, greener environment, a wider operating temperature range, and industry-leading safety.
Panasonic: Developed real-time observation technology to reveal the dynamic changes of lithium ions during the charging and discharging of all-solid-state batteries.
CATL: The company's solid-state battery technology aims to achieve an energy density of more than 350Wh/kg, but there are still some key technical and process problems that need to be solved, and after solving these problems, the energy density can be as high as 400Wh/kg.
Ioniq Materials: The company will develop a lithium metal (instead of lithium-ion) rechargeable battery that uses a new type of solid polymer electrolyte to achieve the world's first truly safe lithium metal rechargeable battery.
StoreDo: The company will establish a new solid-state battery R&D center in California, where it will work with the company's R&D headquarters in Israel to design, build and test battery technology.