Toyota and Sumitomo will make solid-state batteries a mass product
Toyota has entered into an agreement with Sumitomo Metal Mining for the joint production of cathode materials for solid-state batteries. The first cars with such batteries are expected in 2027–2028.
What is known
Solid-state batteries are one of the promising directions in the electric vehicle industry. They are lighter than lithium-ion ones, safer, charge faster, and degrade more slowly. But their main enemy is price and production complexity. Therefore, Toyota has decided to partner with Sumitomo to finally move from laboratory work to the conveyor belt.
According to Sumitomo representatives, the company will first supply Toyota, and then the rest of the market.
Interestingly, the first to receive solid-state batteries may not be electric cars, but Toyota hybrids. As long as the new elements remain expensive, using them first in smaller battery packs seems like a sensible idea.
Another partner of Toyota is Idemitsu Kosan, a Japanese oil giant that will supply a solid electrolyte made from lithium sulfide, a key component for the stable operation of new batteries.
Source: Reuters
