We touched the other day on Toyota’s thinking about electric car batteries. And how it was developing solid-state batteries as opposed to liquid lithium ion. In the process, we unearthed some fascinating information we wanted to share with you. We also thank the company for revealing what Toyota plans for electric car batteries in the long term.
There Are Two Dimensions to What Toyota Plans
Toyota has made immense strides with fuel cells since its first baby steps in the 1930’s. It is now the sixth largest company in the world, measured by revenue after Saudi Aramco, Walmart, State Grid, Sinopec Groups, and China National Petroleum. Three of those five are into fossil fuels, so Toyota is showing a brave face supporting alternative energy.
There are two dimensions to what Toyota plans to do in terms of electric car batteries. Since 2010, it has made good progress with solidifying electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries. This creates a more compact product. Moreover, individual cells no longer need separate casings in their solid-state batteries.
However, the company is being even more innovative with its lithium-air research. What Toyota plans to do – and is achieving – is use oxygen from the air for the cathode material. This further reduces the size of the battery, while simultaneously achieving far greater energy density that commercial electric car batteries.
In practical terms, this research hints at far faster battery charging, and much longer journeys per recharge. The company modestly says, “Through our success in reducing solid surface resistance, we are one step closer to achieving revolutionary developments in battery performance”.
We are pleased to see the world’s largest motor vehicle manufacturer making such an outstanding commitment to a greener future. This, as we wrote previously, depends on how quickly and energy-efficiently we can recharge electric car batteries. Therefore, we will stay in touch with what Toyota plans to do, to get us there.
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Preview Image: Toyota Mirai Fuel-Cell Vehicle
