Revolutionaire batterij zou einde van verbrandingsmotor kunnen betekenen

BY NINIAN CARTER

December 18, 2020 – In 2021, Toyota intends to debut an electric vehicle, powered by a solid-state battery, able to travel 500km in one go and recharge in 10 minutes.

Japanese car giant Toyota, says that in 2021 it will demonstrate a prototype electric vehicle (EV), powered by a solid-state battery, capable of driving 500 kilometres on a single charge.

Solid-state batteries are the holy grail for car manufactures because of their ability to power a vehicle more than twice the distance current lithium-ion batteries can, while being able to recharge in only 10 minutes – for the first time making EVs a viable contender to replace combustion engine vehicles.

Hopes are high the new smaller, lighter batteries will become a serious alternative to lithium-ion cells that use flammable aqueous electrolyte solutions (prone to exploding if faulty), while multiplying power density – the energy a battery can deliver compared to its weight.

However, the main challenge to the widespread implementation of solid-state batteries is the manufacturing process – scientists are still trying to figure out how to mass produce them cheaply enough. Presently, they are too expensive for widespread production, but in time should eventually yield to economies of scale and see broad adoption.

With outright bans on combustion engines, that require fossil fuels, coming to a number of key markets over the next 15 years, zero-emission EVs are anticipated to become a common sight on our roads.

Toyota hopes to bring mass-produced solid-state battery vehicles to market by 2025.