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Toyota’s 2022 Electric Car Will Use Solid-State Batteries Rechargeable in a Few Minutes

July 25, 2017 – If the electric car is to become ubiquitous, then what Toyota is planning to introduce in a little more than four years may prove to be a game changer. Instead of electric vehicles (EVs) running on lithium-ion battery packs, they will, in future, run on solid-state technology.

Today’s lithium-ion (LiON) technology has limits: range, recharge rates, and recharge cycles. For example, a Tesla Model S has a range limit of 400 kilometers (250 miles) before recharge. With a fast charger, it can take 30 minutes for a full recharge. That’s pretty much state of the art for EVs today.

On the other hand, there are solid-state batteries which can extend range dramatically while recharging much faster. A solid-state battery of similar output to Tesla’s LiON could extend the car’s range two to three times. That battery would be smaller and lighter as well.

Other solid-state advantages:

  • The batteries use solid electrolytes producing greater energy density in a smaller form factor. The large separators needed in LiON technology are not required. Instead solid-state has thin barriers to prevent short circuits.
  • Solid-state is safer. These batteries do not experience potential hot spots caused by manufacturing defects in the separators leading to overheating. They will not explode or catch fire.

 

LiON batteries are more susceptible to overheating than solid-state technology. This car caught fire during charging.

 

  • Solid-state electrolytes are less reactive and hold a charge longer.
  • There are many more material choices for manufacturers of solid-state batteries.

 

This illustration shows a LiON and solid-state battery. Note the form factor of the latter for comparable output is much smaller. (Credit: CleanTechnica)

 

Solid-state batteries can be made using the following materials:

  • lithium-halide
  • perovskite
  • lithium-hydride
  • copper-zirconium-phosphate
  • garnet-oxide
  • argyrodite
  • lithium-phosphorus-oxynitride
  • lithium-super-ionic

And they come in two varieties:

  • thin film
  • bulk

Lithium-phosphorus-oxynitride, also known by the acronym, LiPON is a material suitable for thin film solid state. These batteries are ideal for watches, other wearables, and cell phones. After 40,000 charge cycles, a typical LiPON battery will lose a mere 5% of capacity. That means LiPON technology can last from 40 to 130 times longer than comparable LiON.

Garnet-oxide is a material suitable for bulk solid state. It can produce the same energy output as current LiON technology using a much smaller footprint while at the same time retaining capacity over many more charge cycles.

In all cases, solid-state recharges much faster than LiON. The batteries Toyota expects to use in its 2022 EV models will recharge in 5 minutes (about the same amount of time it takes today to fill a gasoline-powered vehicle fuel tank.) The batteries will retain 100% charge capacity over a minimum 1,200 recharge cycles outperforming LiON by 400%.

When you consider Toyota has not been a big adopter of LiON technology it is not surprising that the company is choosing a different route in the evolution of its EVs. The leap to solid-state will be dramatic. But in the interim, the company intends to continue producing its existing Prius and other brand-hybrid cars, a hydrogen-fuel-cell car, and in 2019 will begin manufacturing LiON-powered EVs in China.

 

Is this what Toyota’s 2022 EV running on solid-state batteries will look like?
lenrosen4
lenrosen4https://www.21stcentech.com
Len Rosen lives in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. He is a former management consultant who worked with high-tech and telecommunications companies. In retirement, he has returned to a childhood passion to explore advances in science and technology. More...

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