Toyota Motor and Idemitsu Kosan have joined hands to develop and mass-produce all-solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, the companies said on Thursday.
The partnership follows an announcement in June by Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker by sales, that it would introduce high-performance batteries to improve the driving range and reduce costs of future EVs in a strategic pivot.
Idemitsu and Toyota said in a statement they would aim to commercialise the next-generation batteries in 2027-28, followed by full-scale mass production.
Toyota President Koji Sato and Idemitsu President Shunichi Kito will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Thursday.
Solid-state batteries can hold more energy than current liquid electrolyte batteries. Automakers and analysts expect them to speed transition to EVs by addressing their often limited range, which remains a major consumer concern.
Reuters
