Toyota CEO Just Made A Huge Announcement About A New EV Battery
Would you choose to buy an electric car that could run for more than 1000 kilometers on a single charge, kept almost all of its battery capacity after three years of use, could function normally in a range of temperatures, could be recharged in just ten minutes, and cost the same as a comparable combustion-powered car?
When solid-state battery technology starts to be developed in large quantities in the middle of this decade, consumers will be put in that scenario. By putting several solid-state battery electric car prototypes into operation with the assistance of partner Panasonic, Toyota is attempting to move ahead of the curve.
And so, in today’s episode let’s check how Toyota will change the EV race with the introduction of its solid state batteries.
Toyota is investing the majority of its $18.7 billion investment in solid-state technology, which has more than 1000 patents and is eventually expected to be produced on a massive scale. It’s simple to comprehend why. Solid-state batteries have many advantages over existing lithium-ion battery technologies. Solid-state devices work over a larger temperature range, are safer, have a greater energy density, are smaller and lighter, and have a higher energy density.
A liquid electrolyte solution is used by lithium-ion batteries, and if it is not handled carefully or suffers damage, it could swell or even ignite. These things do happen, though they are uncommon. After a decade, the storage capacity of some lithium-ion batteries can drop by as much as one-third.
The cathode and anode (or more simply, the positively and negatively charged electrodes, respectively) of both battery designs are connected by an electrolyte, which is a chemical combination. Whereas a solid-state battery utilizes a solid electrolyte, the separator in lithium-ion batteries is a liquid solution.
Those magnificent and challenging-to-dose fires are brought on by liquid electrolytes when things go awry. All these problems are solved by solid-state substitutes, which also significantly improve the amount of power that can be stored in a battery. This provides producers with two options: either lower the size of a battery to save weight and space without sacrificing energy, or keep the current dimensions while increasing outputs.
It has been known for close to 50 years that a solid lithium metal anode boosts energy density, but we haven’t had the technology to actually implement it until recently. This is due to the possibility that mixing lithium metal with a liquid electrolyte could result in stalagmite-like forms that pierce the separator between the anode and cathode and trigger a violent chemical explosion.
Today, a number of solid-state electrolytes are offered that function as ceramic separators, have the same conductivity, and lack the risk of blowing up.
Samsung’s non-automotive solid-state battery prototype has an energy density of 900Wh per liter, compared to the best lithium-ion batteries’ capacity of only about 700Wh per liter. According to the manufacturer, using this in an electric car would enable the vehicle to drive up to 800 kilometers on a single charge. The battery’s lifespan is estimated to be 800,000 kilometers with a life cycle of 1000 charges. That may be difficult for your uncle’s Land Cruiser to match.
Taking things a step further, US-based QuantumScape, in which Volkswagen owns 5%, published a study in late 2017 proving the solid-state battery company’s cells have an energy density of more than 1000Wh/L.
Likewise it was demonstrated that the batteries could charge to 80% of their capacity in 15 minutes and could retain more than 80% of that capacity after 800 recharge cycles. the trick? Anode made of pure lithium metal. The battery won’t be ready for manufacturing until 2024, at the earliest.
Credit to : Tech Addicts
