Toyota Motor Corporation is accelerating its push toward next-generation battery electric vehicles (BEVs) with the aim of launching BEVs equipped with all-solid-state batteries between 2027 and 2028.
In collaboration with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co, the company has entered a joint development agreement to mass-produce cathode materials tailored for this advanced battery technology.
All-solid-state batteries – composed of a cathode, anode and solid electrolyte – can have significant advantages over conventional lithium-ion cells. These include longer driving range, shorter charging times, and higher output, making them ideal for future BEVs. Toyota’s timeline signals growing confidence in overcoming technical hurdles and scaling production.
Since 2021, Toyota and Sumitomo have been jointly researching cathode materials, focusing on degradation issues during repeated charge-discharge cycles. Their breakthrough – a “highly durable cathode material” developed using Sumitomo’s proprietary powder synthesis technology – marks a key milestone. Sumitomo, with over 20 years of experience supplying cathode materials for electric vehicles, now aims to move this innovation into mass production.
The partnership will continue to refine performance, safety and cost-efficiency, with the goal of achieving the world’s first practical deployment of all-solid-state batteries in BEVs. As Toyota states, the technology offers “longer driving range, shorter charging times, and higher output.”
