The world's largest automaker by volume, which pioneered
hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles with the popular Prius, is now moving rapidly
to deliver its first all-electric line-up next year. Considered a leader in
developing batteries for electric vehicles, Toyota said it aims to slash the
cost of its batteries by 30% or more by working on the materials used and the
way the cells are structured.
"Then, for the vehicle, we aim to improve power
consumption, which is an indicator of the amount of electricity used per
kilometer, by 30%, starting with the Toyota bZ4X," Chief Technology
Officer Masahiko Maeda told a briefing, referring to an upcoming compact SUV
model.
We aim to improve power consumption, which is an indicator of the amount of electricity used per kilometer, by 30%, starting with the Toyota bZ4X Masahiko Maeda, CTO, Toyota
The company is also the front runner to mass produce solid-state
batteries - a potential game changer for automakers because they are more
energy dense, charge faster and are less prone to catching fire. If developed
successfully, they could replace liquid lithium-ion batteries.
While it was still struggling with the short service life of
these cells, Maeda said there was no change in Toyota's target to begin
manufacturing solid-state batteries by the mid 2020s. "We are still
searching for the best materials to use," he said.
Efforts to mass produce solid-state batteries have stumbled
as they are expensive to fabricate and are prone to crack when they expand and
contract during use. Toyota also plans to use solid-state batteries in hybrid
electric vehicles such as the Prius, it said.
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