February 10th news: Toyota has been collaborating with Japan's leading refiner Idemitsu Kosan on a solid-state battery pilot project since 2023, and the partnership has now entered a new phase. Both companies have decided to build a new factory dedicated to producing solid-state electrolytes required for solid-state electric vehicle batteries.
Toyota and Idemitsu Kosan began collaborating on solid-state electrolyte mass production technology as early as October 2023, with a focus on the development of硫化物solid-state electrolytes. For a long time, this material has been considered an ideal choice for the large-scale mass production of all-solid-state electric vehicle batteries. The硫化物solid-state electrolyte's softness and excellent material adhesion make it particularly suitable for mass production.
Why oil companies are venturing into the electric vehicle sector? The reason lies in the fact that companies like Idemitsu Kosan produce a large amount of sulfur feedstock during the desulfurization process of fuel. Transforming this low-value sulfur into high-value materials such as lithium sulfide represents a once-in-a-century transformation opportunity for the refining industry. Its significance is comparable to when Henry Ford decided to power the T-model car with gasoline – which was once merely a simple byproduct, eventually becoming the foundation of the global transportation system in the 20th century.
Mitsui Chemicals executives have a clear understanding of this. "These are by-products generated during the process of enhancing the quality of petroleum products," said the company's CEO, Toshimitsu Kimura. "In the mid-1990s, Mitsui Chemicals discovered the value of the sulfur component. Leveraging our years of accumulated research and technological strength, we have successfully developed solid-state electrolytes. This new solid-state electrolyte is poised to usher in a new future for mobile transportation."
Two companies' initial product plans, revealed at the end of 2023, aim to commercialize solid-state batteries by 2027-2028. Vehicles equipped with these batteries, such as Toyota's electric cars, will have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and can be charged from 10% to 80% in approximately 10 minutes. The latest announcement seems to indicate that both parties are advancing as planned.
Toyota has also partnered with Sumitomo Metal Mining, a Japanese mining group, in addition to Idemitsu Kosan, to ensure a supply of high-performance cathode materials for the new solid-state battery factory. Once fully operational, the factory is expected to produce hundreds of tons of solid electrolyte materials annually.
