TOKYO – When it comes to electric vehicles, the battle is heating up. Tesla, once kings of the EV world, now find increased competition from the likes of Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.
There are some late bloomers though with Honda and Toyota taking their time to get into the EV race but now, with solid-state battery technology (SSBs) firmly a part of their plan, they may leapfrog their rivals in one big jump. Solid-state batteries potentially come with an advantage in terms of weight, range, cost and more.
Toyota is leading the way in the solid-state race, but Honda is not too far behind. Should both manufacturers crack the solid-state battery technology and the market then it would be quite the game changer for the electric car segment.
Solid-state battery advantages
- Higher energy density
- Faster charging times
- Improved safety
- Improved reliability
- Lower weight than lithium-ion batteries
Toyota has been admittedly slower in taking up the challenge of the EV market, but it’s been working behind the scenes to develop some impressive new technologies. The company is currently pursuing a “multi pathway approach”, meaning it can introduce optimal powertrains for each region in which it will sell its cars. By 2025, Toyota plans to have at least 15 fully electric vehicles in its lineup, a stark contrast from just the bZ4X that it has as part of its electric range right now. Initially, Toyota’s EVs will use the traditional lithium-ion batteries as the range expands.
However, solid-state batteries are coming in a few years’ time, with the Japanese manufacturers having 1,000 patents in solid-state battery technology as it explores as many options as possible. Part of its drive to pursue this new technology is to ensure it has the best range possible for an EV. At the time of writing, the longest-range EV on the market is the Lucid Air Grand Touring Edition. This electric vehicle has 516 miles of range on offer, with Toyota’s bZ4X having less than half of that range. Toyota clearly feels that this isn’t good enough for a manufacturer that has very high standards.
