The lithium-ion batteries that we rely on in our phones, laptops and electric cars have a liquid electrolyte, through which ions flow in one direction to charge the battery and the other direction when it is being drained. Solid-state batteries, as the name suggests, replace this liquid with a solid material.
GM, Volkswagen, Ford, Nissan, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and others are working on solid-state battery tech. Hyundai wants to be one of the top three EV producers by 2030. The company’s CEO, Jae Hoon Chang, has said Hyundai will develop solid-state LFP and NCM batteries to lower costs with more flexibility.
And while conventional lithium batteries quickly charge up to 80 per cent of their capacity, they charge slowly from there to 100 per cent. Solid-state batteries can be fully charged more quickly. Crucially, though, solid electrolytes are less dense, so a solid-state battery can be smaller and lighter than its lithium-ion competitor.
Toyota has been teasing solid-state EV battery tech for several years now. After discovering a “technological breakthrough” in June, Toyota said it was accelerating development. In October, Toyota and Japanese oil giant Idemitsu Kosan announced they would develop and build solid-state EV batteries.
Now, Toyota plans to introduce them in 2027/2028, with mass production coming after 2030. By then, several companies will have already rolled out the tech. Volkswagen, Hyundai, Nissan, BMW, and others are also working to release solid-state battery tech.
Solid-state batteries are nothing new – solid electrolytes were created in the 1800s by Michael Faraday, and they are currently used in medical implants. But a technique to manufacture them cheaply has been elusive. The obvious benefits have seen car companies pouring cash into research.