Accused by some all-electric radicals of holding back its four-tire green transition, Toyota explained in a statement from its technical director, Hiroki Nakajima, that it has set itself the goal of becoming the world leader in the battery segment. . Pivotal to its reconquest strategy, the Japanese manufacturer intends to focus not only on current batteries, but also the next generation.
The manufacturer would have a strategic plan in three stages:
- From 2026, Toyota plans to double the current range of its electric vehicles. Today, the only electric model is the bZ4X, which has a range of 513 km according to the WLTP standard. The manufacturer is working on a Performance version of its batteries, which would achieve a range of around 1,000 km, while reducing production costs by 20%. Progress is also announced in the field of recharging, with the possibility of recharging the battery from 10 to 80% in just 20 minutes.
Between 2026 and 2027, Toyota plans to develop its own LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery and modify the design of the anodes and cathodes, taking inspiration from the “bipolar structure” used in its current hybrid models. The use of LFP technology would improve the autonomy of the vehicle, such as the bZ4X, by 20% while reducing the price by 40%. The firm also plans to increase the capacity of the LFP batteries to achieve even greater autonomy.
Between 2027 and 2028, Toyota has set itself a very ambitious goal: to offer a production electric vehicle equipped with a solid battery. The manufacturer is already developing this technology and is aiming for a range of 1,500 km with a charging time limited to 10 short minutes. An important step to improve the performance and accessibility of electric vehicles, but the current cost of manufacturing solid batteries limits these ambitions.
Toyota also plans to combine these battery technologies with a range of five new models consisting of a compact, a sedan, two SUVs and a minivan, without however specifying the Toyota / Lexus distribution. The Japanese also intends to change its production model by taking inspiration from that of Tesla with “giga-presses” and a three-part car cutout (front, middle and rear). This approach is driven by Toyota’s desire to dominate the electric market rather than simply participate in it.
A key element of Toyota’s strategy is the early integration of solid-state batteries in its vehicles, before 2030, when other industry players announce it later in the decade. This change in direction marks a significant development for Toyota, which had initially delayed its electric transition.