Car manufacturers know how to make cars… an obvious statement, or at least it has been for the past 100 years of combustion. As we move into a world of electrification, the traditional pecking orders are being broken down by one thing… battery technology. You might be an Audi or a Mercedes evangelist, but regardless of your loyalties, you aren’t going to buy an EV that doesn’t fit with your lifestyle. Marques such as Kia and Hyundai have gained an enormous amount of momentum in the market by offering batteries with longer ranges and faster charging than many, thus resulting in Korea dominating market share. The race for the next generation of battery tech will define the future automotive landscape.
The EV arms race is well and truly underway, with the knowledge that the first manufacturer to offer an EV with the least inconvenient (versus traditional) combustion will succeed in spurring on mass-electrification in every segment. What is this magical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Solid-state batteries.
Currently, EVs typically use a chemical battery and, while fit for purpose in many applications, it has its drawbacks. Charging speeds and capacity can be limited by the cell’s makeup, while temperature can also have a massive impact on performance. Solid-state batteries can be smaller, lighter, cheaper, and far less of a fire risk. Until recently, a lack of scientific breakthrough meant it remained somewhat untenable, but Toyota states that its testing program has yielded units with a potential 745-mile range, charging in as little as 10 minutes.
Toyota has ambitions of rolling out these new solid-state battery electric vehicles by 2025, something that will spur on engineers to compete globally. Toyota wants to be mass-manufacturing these batteries itself by 2027. War is the mother of invention, but it might also be the validator of an EV future for the masses.
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