Article menu
- The Japanese want to put a prototype on the wheels as early as 2021
- Photo gallery: Lexus and Toyota teaser electric cars
The Japanese want to put a prototype on the wheels as early as 2021
More and more electric cars are currently coming onto the market, but Toyota was noticeably reluctant to do so. The Japanese manufacturer still relied on hybrids, most of which are not chargeable.
But Toyota apparently had a plan all along. The company wasn't waiting for fuel cell technology to become affordable, but instead developed a solid-state battery.
The company still relies on the fuel cell – after all, a new version of the Mirai was only released in November revealed. But Toyota also wants to bring a battery electric vehicle to market. It's supposed to be built on the same platform (e-TNGA) as the Mirai, but it's supposed to be an SUV and it will get its juice from the new solid-state battery.
Photo gallery: Lexus and Toyota teaser electric cars
The as yet unnamed SUV is set to debut as early as 2021, if only as a prototype. But it's the battery pack that we're interested in here.
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) should have a multiple higher energy density than conventional batteries, they do not use aqueous electrolytes and thus reduce the risk of fire in the event of an accident. Instead of liquid or polymer gel electrodes, a solid-state battery also uses solid electrodes.
In the case of solid-state batteries, the charging times should also be drastically reduced, so that the process does not take much longer than refueling a burner. According to Toyota, the new SUV should be fully charged in ten minutes. The range is given as 500 kilometers.
However, solid-state batteries are known to not perform very well in cold temperatures. And their longevity has also often been questioned. Toyota has not specifically mentioned either of these aspects in any of its press releases on the subject. But these were certainly two challenges that the manufacturer had to face.
More about solid-state batteries: 
Solid-state batteries: No more expensive than normal batteries from 2025?
QuantumScape explains the benefits of its solid–state battery
It appears that Toyota is currently the world leader in solid-state battery technology. According to an article in Nikkei Asia in December, Nissan could also bring a first solid-state battery electric car in 2028. Volkswagen is also reportedly on the verge of this. Thanks to a cooperation with an American startup company VW wants to start producing SSBs as early as 2025.
The production version of the Toyota SUV with SSB is expected to start before the middle of the decade – possibly 2023 or 2024. The vehicle will be a similar size to the RAV4 and will be built at Toyota's electric car factory, which was founded in 2018. The car is expected to be the first of six vehicles to be built on the same modular basis. Also the Subaru Evoltis should be created on the same platform.
[Translator's Note: The original article dated December 14, 2020 has been shortened slightly.]
Related articles
-
Solid State Battery: 2025 could be a crucial year
Solid State Batteries (SSBs) are the holy grail of automakers and cell manufacturers The holy grail of the battery cell producers is the solid-state…
-
Nio ET7: The solid-state battery is supposedly from Solid State Lion
Is an unknown Chinese company behind the 150 kWh battery? Nio Day wasn't just because of the presentation of the ET7 an event with ranges of up to…
-
BMW and Ford invest in solid-state battery company Solid Power
BMW announces a demonstrator vehicle well before 2025 Solid Power, an industry-leading manufacturer of solid state batteries for electric vehicles, has…
-
Toyota bZ4X: engines and battery of the production version
Now there are new pictures of the electric SUV (update) Longing. For a long time, Toyota has been reluctant to make electric cars. But now things are…
-
Solid Power builds multilayer solid-state batteries with 20 ampere hours
The batteries are to be installed in cars from 2026 The hunt for the first solid-state batteries for electric cars is picking up speed. After years of…
-
Ford is building a huge electric car plant and three battery factories in the United States
From 2025, Gigafactories will produce electric pick-ups and batteries with 129 GWh storage capacity per year Ford announces huge investments in new…
-
Estrema Fulminea: super athlete with solid-state battery and supercaps
Estrema Automobili also plans to build a solid state battery factory The Italian startup Estrema Automobili has unveiled the Fulminea, which was teased…
-
Svolt wants to make battery cells safer with arrester foils
If the cell is mechanically damaged, foils burn out like a fuse The thermal runaway remains a dreaded problem with the batteries of electric cars….
-
TOGG and Farasis to build 20 GWh battery plant in Turkey
There is no longer any talk of the planned plant in Bitterfeld The first plant for electric car batteries in Turkey should go into operation in around…
-
QuantumScape explains the benefits of its solid-state battery
SSBs from Nio, Toyota, and Solid State allegedly fail to meet important requirements QuantumScape not only had a surprise with its annual report for the…
