Toyota Develops Battery With Possible 600-Mile Range
11-14-12, 04:03 PM
#1
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Toyota Develops Battery With Possible 600-Mile Range
The Nikkei [sub] claims that Toyota has done the groundwork for a new battery that could “potentially more than double the driving range of electric vehicles,” possibly up to 1,000 km (620 miles). And it’s even cheaper.
Toyota’s new battery uses a sodium-based chemical compound as the positive electrode in a sodium ion battery. The battery produces a voltage that is 30 percent higher than that of lithium-ion batteries. Once commercialized, prices of the battery will likely be lower than those of conventional lithium-ion batteries, says the report.
Further testing is needed before the new technology is ready for prime time. “We may be able to extend EV mileage considerably,” the Nikkei cites a Toyota official. “We may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km.”
Sodium is the sixth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, Wikipedia says. Half of the world’s salt consists of sodium. Toyota thinks that the new sodium battery could be commercially available by 2020, if all goes well.
Just a few months ago, Toyota’s vice chairman and R&D chief Takeshi Uchiyamada was outspokenly skeptic about the viability of EVs:
“The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society’s needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge.”
If the new battery lives up to its promise, two out of three would not be bad.
It is midnight in Tokyo. We’ll try tomorrow to get more.
Toyota’s new battery uses a sodium-based chemical compound as the positive electrode in a sodium ion battery. The battery produces a voltage that is 30 percent higher than that of lithium-ion batteries. Once commercialized, prices of the battery will likely be lower than those of conventional lithium-ion batteries, says the report.
Further testing is needed before the new technology is ready for prime time. “We may be able to extend EV mileage considerably,” the Nikkei cites a Toyota official. “We may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km.”
Sodium is the sixth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, Wikipedia says. Half of the world’s salt consists of sodium. Toyota thinks that the new sodium battery could be commercially available by 2020, if all goes well.
Just a few months ago, Toyota’s vice chairman and R&D chief Takeshi Uchiyamada was outspokenly skeptic about the viability of EVs:
“The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society’s needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge.”
If the new battery lives up to its promise, two out of three would not be bad.
It is midnight in Tokyo. We’ll try tomorrow to get more.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...6/#more-466886
11-14-12, 05:43 PM
#3
8 years is really a long long long time in car world... who knows what will happen by then.
So far every year there is some new "research breakthrough" announced but we are still using lion or nimh.
So far every year there is some new "research breakthrough" announced but we are still using lion or nimh.
11-14-12, 09:00 PM
#5
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sounds promising!!! 
11-14-12, 11:14 PM
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Keep in mind, Toyota for several years now has had large teams dedicated to researching and experimenting on next generation battery technology.
Toyota is a hybrid pioneer, and they've already spent a ton of money and years of research on perfecting new batteries to be significantly better than NiMH and Li-ion.
The trouble is Li-ion is barely better than NiMH in hybrid applications, and it brings new problems that NiMH doesn't have.
11-15-12, 12:05 AM
#7
Mostly NiMH in Toyota's case, because they still have a number of advantages for hybrids over Li-ion.
Keep in mind, Toyota for several years now has had large teams dedicated to researching and experimenting on next generation battery technology.
Toyota is a hybrid pioneer, and they've already spent a ton of money and years of research on perfecting new batteries to be significantly better than NiMH and Li-ion.
The trouble is Li-ion is barely better than NiMH in hybrid applications, and it brings new problems that NiMH doesn't have.
Keep in mind, Toyota for several years now has had large teams dedicated to researching and experimenting on next generation battery technology.
Toyota is a hybrid pioneer, and they've already spent a ton of money and years of research on perfecting new batteries to be significantly better than NiMH and Li-ion.
The trouble is Li-ion is barely better than NiMH in hybrid applications, and it brings new problems that NiMH doesn't have.
I think that tells us something about their next 10 year plan :-).
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11-15-12, 06:47 AM
#8
Lost In Translation: About That Miracle 600 Mile Battery…
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...y/#more-466985
Yesterday, we told you about that miracle battery, Toyota allegedly has developed. The Nikkei [sub] said it will double the range of an EV. The Tokyo wire quoted researchers as saying that they “may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km” (310 to 620 miles), You possibly noticed the skeptical tone when we reported on the report . As it turns out, the Nikkei was a bit – exuberant.
Checking in with Toyota this morning, we learn that Toyota’s researchers indeed have a new Sodium-Ion battery technology. However, research into this technology is in its very, very early stages.
A group of Toyota researchers (M. Nose, H. Nakayama, K. Nobuhara, S. Nakanishi, and H. Iba) presented a paper titled “Novel Cathode Materials of Sodium-Containing Metal Phosphates as Highly Voltage Sodium-Ion Batteries” at a symposium in Honolulu. After two of the researchers, Nakanishi-san, and Iba-san were interviewed by the Nikkei, some finer, but crucial points were either misunderstood or lost in translation.
Instead of targeting 2020 as the date of commercial release of the battery, the researchers think that commercialization can take anywhere between 10 to 20 years – if commercialization indeed turns out to be viable.
The researchers confirm that the new battery has the potential to extend driving range. However, they did not say, “We may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km.” What they said was that to be commercially viable, a next-generation battery should give an EV that range or one exceeding it. With that in mind, they are pushing forward with their research.
Bottom line: Take that sodium story with a big grain of salt.
Checking in with Toyota this morning, we learn that Toyota’s researchers indeed have a new Sodium-Ion battery technology. However, research into this technology is in its very, very early stages.
A group of Toyota researchers (M. Nose, H. Nakayama, K. Nobuhara, S. Nakanishi, and H. Iba) presented a paper titled “Novel Cathode Materials of Sodium-Containing Metal Phosphates as Highly Voltage Sodium-Ion Batteries” at a symposium in Honolulu. After two of the researchers, Nakanishi-san, and Iba-san were interviewed by the Nikkei, some finer, but crucial points were either misunderstood or lost in translation.
Instead of targeting 2020 as the date of commercial release of the battery, the researchers think that commercialization can take anywhere between 10 to 20 years – if commercialization indeed turns out to be viable.
The researchers confirm that the new battery has the potential to extend driving range. However, they did not say, “We may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km.” What they said was that to be commercially viable, a next-generation battery should give an EV that range or one exceeding it. With that in mind, they are pushing forward with their research.
Bottom line: Take that sodium story with a big grain of salt.
11-15-12, 11:30 AM
#12
Lexus Test Driver
here is the background on this comment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_...NiMH_batteries
So basicaly, until Lithium Ion batteries became a viable alternative, NiMH batteries were restricted to lower current devices by the controlling interests of the patent holder.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_...NiMH_batteries
So basicaly, until Lithium Ion batteries became a viable alternative, NiMH batteries were restricted to lower current devices by the controlling interests of the patent holder.
Last edited by My0gr81; 11-15-12 at 11:41 AM.
11-15-12, 11:55 AM
#13
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Unfortunately doubling the battery capacity almost certainly means doubling the charging time, which is bad enough already (it takes 7 hours with a 240V quick charger to fully recharge the Leaf just to go no more than 100 miles). It can't be further improved because there's only so much current you can draw from the home power grid.
I'm more looking forward to Toyota putting whatever better battery technolgies they have into hybrids instead, either to further increase the fuel efficiency or to shrink the battery packaging. EV has no real future in the mainstream IMHO.
I'm more looking forward to Toyota putting whatever better battery technolgies they have into hybrids instead, either to further increase the fuel efficiency or to shrink the battery packaging. EV has no real future in the mainstream IMHO.
11-15-12, 12:05 PM
#14
Unfortunately doubling the battery capacity almost certainly means doubling the charging time, which is bad enough already (it takes 7 hours with a 240V quick charger to fully recharge the Leaf just to go no more than 100 miles). It can't be further improved because there's only so much current you can draw from the home power grid.
I'm more looking forward to Toyota putting whatever better battery technolgies they have into hybrids instead, either to further increase the fuel efficiency or to shrink the battery packaging. EV has no real future in the mainstream IMHO.
I'm more looking forward to Toyota putting whatever better battery technolgies they have into hybrids instead, either to further increase the fuel efficiency or to shrink the battery packaging. EV has no real future in the mainstream IMHO.
Also, the example you gave is far from a comprehensive explanation of battery charging possibilities. A Tesla Model S with much more battery capacity than a Leaf can be fully charged in your home overnight. At a fast-charging station, it can be done in 45 minutes.
Just because the Leaf kind of sucks doesn't mean EVs are doomed.
Last edited by RocketGuy3; 11-15-12 at 12:11 PM.
11-15-12, 01:14 PM
#15
Lexus Test Driver
It absolutely has a future, but not in the near term. Both battery technology and, as you were getting at, the power grid infrastructure will need to improve for it to become a viable alternative for more than just a niche market. But I believe that can and will happen eventually.
Also, the example you gave is far from a comprehensive explanation of battery charging possibilities. A Tesla Model S with much more battery capacity than a Leaf can be fully charged in your home overnight. At a fast-charging station, it can be done in 45 minutes.
Just because the Leaf kind of sucks doesn't mean EVs are doomed.
Also, the example you gave is far from a comprehensive explanation of battery charging possibilities. A Tesla Model S with much more battery capacity than a Leaf can be fully charged in your home overnight. At a fast-charging station, it can be done in 45 minutes.
Just because the Leaf kind of sucks doesn't mean EVs are doomed.
Let's face it, the current auto industry is to tied to the oil industry to want any significant change to the status quo. Some auto manufaturers are trying to break those ties, either for strategic market advantage or if their own country is too dependent on oil as a matter of "national interest".