Environmental watchdogs likely won't get too excited about an agreement that involves a mining company.
However, the battery power that could be realized through the partnership has the potential to be a great boon for cleaner transportation.
That's because Toyota and Sumitomo Metal Mining are working on a cathode material for a next-generation solid-state battery for electric vehicles that is better performing and longer-lasting than common lithium-ion packs. It's billed by Autoblog as potentially being "the most important leap in EV innovation yet."
Extending battery life is important because it limits the amount of minerals that need to be mined and processed to make replacements. Sustainability by Numbers reported that we will need tens of millions of tons of deposits to power the switch to cleaner energy, including transportation.
Processing lithium and other materials can pose environmental hazards, per Euronews. But it still falls far short of the 16.5 billion tons of dirty fuels hauled from Earth annually, SBN added. Burning coal and gas is largely responsible for our planet's overheating, as NASA has linked it to increased risks of severe heat waves, which could soon make some places unlivable, and other extreme, life-threatening weather events that are even impacting farming.
Solid-state batteries have been tough to develop, partly because of costly manufacturing, according to Top Speed. The Japan-based companies seem to have a game plan for acquiring the crucial cathode component — one of the key parts needed for a battery to function — and churning out energy storage. Common lithium-ion packs have an electrolyte, a flammable liquid middle. Toyota is developing a firm core, which is touted for safety and performance upgrades. That's why researchers in labs around the world, including U.S. government facilities, are working on solid-state packs as well.
It starts for Toyota with a "highly durable cathode material," per Autoblog. The automaker has been working with Sumitomo since 2021, leveraging the latter's process to refine a part base that doesn't easily degrade.
In a news release, Toyota promises longer range, faster charging times, and enhanced safety. While improvement on the latter front is important, common lithium-ion packs remain safe. Gas cars are more likely to catch fire than EVs, per numerous reports.
One of the big winners is our lungs if Toyota's program results in more EV sales. Each EV that replaces a gas car prevents thousands of pounds of planet-warming tailpipe exhaust a year, according to government data. What's more, EV drivers bank about $1,500 annually in gas and service costs, with no more oil changes. Certain states still offer perks for buying and charging an EV, so a little research can save you more money.
U.S. EV sales hit an all-time high of 438,000 during the third quarter as buyers locked in expiring tax breaks. But analysts aren't sure how sales will go now that the perks are gone, according to Cox Automotive. It's part of shifting government energy policy that prioritizes dirty fuels.
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For Toyota's part, it plans to continue testing the cathode material as part of its solid-state pack. The goal is to have battery production underway by 2027 or 2028, giving the company competition with Tesla and other EV brands, according to Autoblog.
"The tables could soon turn in the electric space," the publication's Marnus Moolman wrote.
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