Toyota is positioning itself to be a major player in the EV market. They plan to introduce solid-state batteries in their EVs as early as 2027, in a partnership with Panasonic. The company has also declared that it is working on two new EV models, one of which will include a Solid-State battery. A new Battery Lab is expected to open in 2025.  Additionally they will use the assistance of AI for vehicle design, new Tech investments, Assembly Tech and even a Patent for a MANUAL EV Mode. You can see that Toyota has stepped up their game. I’ll be dropping more news this week!

BATTERY TECHNOLOGY:

Toyota is committed to developing new battery technologies that could revolutionize the electric vehicle market, including solid-state batteries which are more energy-dense than traditional lithium-ion batteries. Solid-state batteries offer a number of advantages over lithium-ion batteries, including higher energy density, longer lifespan, and faster charging times. The company’s solid-state batteries and new lithium-ion batteries could help them to increase the range, reduce costs, longer lifespan, and can accelerate the adoption of EVs. The new type of lithium-ion battery is expected to offer a 20% improvement in range and a 20% reduction in cost. The lithium-ion battery is expected to be introduced in 2026, while the solid state aims for 2027.

• Solid-state batteries and new lithium-ion batteries could help to increase the range and reduce EV prices,  making them more appealing to consumers.
• Solid-state batteries are more energy-dense and stable than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
• The are also working on a new type of lithium-ion battery that will offer a 20% improvement in range and a 20% reduction in cost in 2026.
• Their electric vehicle that will be powered by an all-solid-state battery is expected in 2027.

TOYOTA PARTNERS WITH PANASONIC TO DEVELOP THOSE SOLID-STATE BATTERIES: 

Toyota and Panasonic have been working together for several years, and recently announced a joint venture to develop solid-state batteries called Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, Inc.  Solid-state batteries are a type of battery that is considered to be a promising technology for the future of electric vehicles. They offer a number of advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, including higher energy density, longer lifespan, and faster charging times. Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, Inc will also supply batteries to other automakers. This will help to expand the availability of solid-state batteries and make them more affordable. The development of solid-state batteries is a major step forward for the automotive industry. These batteries have the potential to revolutionize the way we power our vehicles and make electric vehicles more accessible to a wider range of consumers. Capacity, output, durability and cost-effective batteries will be important factors for Toyota to offer top-notch quality and performance. 

• Toyota and Panasonic have been working on solid-state batteries for several years, and they have made significant progress.
• The joint venture is called Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, Inc.
• This venture will accelerate the development of solid-state batteries and bring them to market sooner.
• They will also supply batteries to other automakers.

NEW BATTERY LAB:

Toyota will invest close to $50 million to construct a new lab facility at its North American R&D headquarters in York Twp, Mich, to evaluate batteries for EVs and other electrified vehicles in North America. As part of its evaluation process, the new Michigan battery lab will ensure that Toyota’s batteries meet North American customer requirements by confirming performance, quality and durability of vehicle batteries. Operations at the new battery lab are expected to begin in 2025.

• Planned to open in 2025
• Lab will evaluate and support development of electric vehicle batteries.
• Facility to support Toyota manufacturing at plants in North Carolina and Kentucky
• The battery lab will confirm performance, quality and durability of vehicle batteries. 

NEW ASSEMBLY TECHNOLOGY:

Toyota said it was developing a dedicated EV platform to reduce the cost of new models and a heavily automated assembly line that would do away with the conveyor belt system that has been the approach for auto production for 100 years.. In Toyota’s “self-propelling” assembly line, cars under production would drive themselves through the process.

It also said it would use Gigacasting (single casting) to cut production costs, adopting the innovation pioneered by Tesla using massive, aluminium casting machines to reduce vehicle complexity. 

• Developing a dedicated, automated assembly that will drive themselves through assembly during production
• Toyota to use Single Casting 
• Single Casting lowers production costs
• Reduces vehicle complexity

TECH INVESTMENTS:

In addition to its work on solid-state batteries, TMC is also investing heavily in other EV technologies. The company has announced that it will invest $18.7 billion in EV technology over the next five years.

This investment will be used to develop new EV models, battery technologies, and charging infrastructure. The investment by TMC is a significant vote of confidence in the future of EVs. It shows that the company is committed to making EVs a major part of its business.

• Heavily investing in other EV technologies
• Developing new EV models
• Innovating new battery tech
• Developing charging infrastructure

NEW AI DESIGN ASSISTANCE:

Toyota Research Institute (TRI) has developed a new generative AI technique that allows designers to add initial design sketches and engineering constraints into the AI generation process. This helps to ensure that the resulting designs are both aesthetically pleasing and meet the specific performance requirements of the vehicle.  The company plans to make this available to its designers in the near future.

The technique involves taking an initial design sketch or concept as input and then generating a variety of potential designs that meet the specific performance requirements of the vehicle. The AI is able to do this by incorporating engineering constraints into the generation process, such as aerodynamic drag, fuel efficiency, and safety. Toyota’s new AI design assistance technique could have a significant impact on the way that vehicles are designed in the near future. 

• New AI design assistance technique could help to speed up the vehicle design process and create more innovative vehicles.
• The technique combines Toyota’s traditional engineering strengths with the state-of-the-art capabilities of modern generative AI.
• The ability to speed up the vehicle design process by reducing the number of iterations required to create a final design.
• The ability to create more innovative designs that meet the specific performance requirements of the vehicle

MANUAL EV:

Toyota is developing an EV that can switch between Automatic or Manual modes. Manual transmissions on a regular ICE offer an immersive experience; by manually shifting the gears in an EV, one can get the feeling of being more connected to the car.

MANUAL MODE: This mode will provide the driver with a more “traditional” driving experience, with a slower response to accelerator pedal input. This is similar to the way a manual transmission vehicle with an internal combustion engine behaves.
EV MODE: This mode will provide the driver with a more responsive driving experience, with a faster response to accelerator pedal input. 

About the patent:

• The patent was filed on June 21, 2021.
• The patent is for an electric vehicle that can switch between two modes: MT mode and EV mode.
• In MT mode, the electric motor will be controlled with torque characteristics like an ICE Manual Transmission
• In EV mode, the electric motor will be controlled with the familiar EV torque experience.

Toyota is making major investments in EV technology, including solid-state batteries, new lithium-ion batteries, and assembly technology. The company is also developing a new AI design assistance technique and a patent for a manual EV. These investments show that Toyota is committed to making EVs a major part of its business in the future.

Go electric ✌️

Sources

https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/39288520.html#nakajima 

https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/31477926.html?_gl=

https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/39330500.html

https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/39288520.html#kato

https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-research-institute-unveils-new-generative-ai-technique-for-vehicle-design/

Patent Publication number: 20220041065: https://patents.justia.com/search?q=Toyota+manual+EV

📸 Cred: Chloe