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The
companies aim to commercialize next-generation batteries in
2027-28, followed by full-scale mass production. Toyota has said
it planned to introduce the batteries, which would drastically
improve the driving range of EVs, as part of a strategic pivot
to EVs announced in June.
Toyota is now looking to make up for ground lost to Tesla and
Chinese rivals such as BYD in the EV race. It has said it found
a "technological breakthrough" that addresses durability
problems in solid-state batteries and said it is developing
means to mass produce them.
Idemitsu Kosan, Japan's second-largest oil refiner, has been
developing solid sulfide electrolyte, a material used in the
batteries.
"By bringing together the material development technologies of
both companies, Idemitsu's material manufacturing technology,
and Toyota's battery mass production technology, we will engage
in full-scale mass production of all-solid-state batteries,"
Toyota CEO Koji Sato told a news conference.
Solid-state batteries can hold more energy than current liquid
electrolyte batteries and automakers and analysts expect them to
speed transition to EVs.
An EV powered by a solid-state battery would have a range of
1,200 km (746 miles) and charging time of just 10 minutes,
according to Toyota.
Still, such batteries are expensive and likely to remain so for
years.
Idemitsu has been expanding into EV battery supply chains,
increasing its stake in Australian lithium developer Delta
Lithium to 15% earlier this year amid a global push by
automakers to electrify their fleets.
(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi and Chang-Ran Kim; additional
reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by David Dolan,
Muralikumar Anantharaman and Simon Cameron-Moore)
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