It won’t, however.
Solid-state batteries can provide faster charging and a significantly longer range. They are expected to be the next big breakthrough in electric vehicle development. Toyota is among the companies that invest in solid-state batteries. Thiebault Pquet, the company’s powertrain boss and electrification strategist, said Autocar last Dec that the technology would make its debut on an EV hybrid.
In an interview with Autoline during CES2022 Gill Pratt, chief scientist at Toyota Research Institute and chief scientist, stated that the first Toyota to use a solid-state battery would still be powered by an internal combustion engine. The development of lithium-ion batteries is on track and the first car will be available in the first half a decade. It’s January 2022 already, so the vehicle will be on the market within three years, or possibly even earlier.
Why is Toyota prioritizing hybrids at the expense of EVs? Although it may seem unintuitive at first, Gill Pratt’s explanation is clear. The current electric car market is still expensive than their gasoline counterparts. This would make it more costly to fit an EV with solid state batteries. The cost of an ICE-free car equipped with solid-state battery technology will likely decrease between now and 2025.
Toyota will apply the promising technology to hybrids first, since the batteries are smaller and won’t have a significant impact on the price. Hybrids are also viewed by Toyota as a testing ground for solid-state batteries, Gill Pratt explained. This is because the charging and discharging cycles of hybrids are longer. The next-generation batteries will be tested in hybrids, which will then eventually be used in EVs.
Solid-state batteries will eventually be available in performance cars. Toyota’s luxury division Lexus unveiled the electrified sport last month. It is a low-slung, electric coupe. The concept featured the V10-powered LFA’s “secret sauce”, which gave it enough power to travel 435 miles (705 kilometers). In just two seconds, the two-seater machine could go from 0 to 62 mph (10 km/h), in a low range of two seconds.