Toyota Motor Company has officially announced its intention to become the world leader in optimizing electric car power consumption. The corporation plans both to modernize the existing battery designs and develop completely new ones to enable EVs to cover 1,500 km (930 miles) on a charge and refill as fast as ICE cars do.
One of the presentation slides outlining the strategy previews the company’s all-electric take on the Crown sedan. The next generation of electric Toyotas is expected to reach the market in three years, bringing along new and improved battery designs. For example, the company plans to put lithium-iron-phosphate cells (LiFePo4) into its low-end vehicles, which should make them 40% cheaper that the cells used by the current-gen bZ4X (see video). Despite being so cheap, the battery is expected to provide 20% more range than the current designs.
In turn, mid-range and high-end EVs will take advantage of premium high-density batteries that will yield up to 1,000 km (620 miles) of range and recharge from 10 to 80 percent in 20 minutes or less. New lithium-ion arrays are expected to hit the market in 2027, promising a 10% reduction in costs and a 10% increase in range.
Finally, Toyota plans to start using solid-state batteries in its cars in the second half of the decade. These should enable EVs to run 1,200–1,500 kilometers (745–932 miles) on a single charge and replenish most of that range capacity in 10 minutes or less.
Power sources aren’t the only way in which the Japanese corporation plans to improve its electric vehicle lineup. Aerodynamic optimizations and smaller, lighter suspensions should also contribute to the overall effect.
