Automotive Engineering - October 2021 - 10

TECHNOLOGY REPORT
ELECTRIFICATION
Toyota primes for big battery, EV action
In a briefing to update media on its
near-term development of electric-vehicle
(EV) battery development and carbon-neutrality
measures, Toyota Motor
Corp. chief technology officer Masahiko
Maeda said the company will invest a
towering 1.5 trillion yen ($13.7 billion) on
battery research and manufacturing
between now and 2030. But while reinforcing
the company's multi-mode
commitment to vehicle electrification
- hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid and
fully electric - to drive global CO2
reductions,
Maeda and other Toyota executives
participating in the virtual presentation
stopped short of committing
to the kind of deadlines other automakers
have announced for the sunsetting
of internal-combustion vehicles and the
changeover to EV-only model lineups.
A full-EV model range " is not in our
plan, " Toyota's CTO asserted, noting that
electrifying the large, heavy pickup trucks
preferred by American consumers and
other vehicles that tow and haul heavy
loads " is not going to be easy. " Despite
what he called a strong tailwind for EVs in
the U.S. and Europe, in some world regions,
electrification is not the answer.
Maeda would not commit to a timeframe
for transitioning to an EV-only lineup for
the U.S. - or likely any other market.
Maeda also provided what seemed a
cautious assessment of Toyota's developAt
the 2021 Shanghai auto show, Toyota unveiled the bZ4X concept, a preview of the first of its
coming bZ family of electric vehicles intended to number seven models by 2025.
ment of solid-state batteries. Many in the
industry consider solid state to be an
end-game battery technology and Toyota
is believed to be a research leader in the
field. He stressed that although solidstate
battery design is projected to improve
several crucial performance metrics,
Toyota's chief battery-development
goals are focused on safety and long service
life, immediate concerns in consumers'
initials stages of EV adoption.
By 2030, Toyota said it intends to have
at least 200 gWh of installed batteryproduction
capacity encompassing as
many as 70 global company or partner
facilities as part of its $13.7-billion investment,
all while achieving significant cost
reduction. Named battery partners include
Panasonic, CATL, Toshiba,
GSYUASA and FinDreams Battery, a subsidiary
of Chinese automaker BYD.
" There is no time to lose when it
comes to reducing, in all aspects, the
amount of CO2
emitted by humankind, "
Maeda said in the media call. " Because
the options for reducing CO2
emissions
depend on the energy situation at hand,
Toyota will continue to try various measures
to expand the options for achieving
carbon neutrality, " he added. " We
want to provide sustainable and practical
products that reduce CO2
emissions
while considering the convenience of
our customers in each region. "
Batteries uber alles - mostly
Maeda said a single EV offers the same
CO2
-reduction capability as three ICengine
hybrid-electric models, so Toyota
is intent on expanding EV penetration.
But he laid out a strategic roadmap in
which several methods of vehicle electrification,
including hybrids and fuel-cell
electrics, will contribute to the company's
goal of carbon neutrality.
" While promoting a full lineup of elecAt
all phases of development, Toyota relies on advanced analytics and monitoring to maintain safe
thermal conditions.
10 October 2021
trified vehicles, we have also been developing
and manufacturing a full lineup of
batteries, " Maeda said. For HEVs the " focus
is on power output, or in other words,
instantaneous power, while when it
comes to PHEVs and BEVs, our focus is
on capacity or what can be called 'endurance.' "
He stressed that in developing
improved batteries for all types of electrified
vehicles, customers need to find
them more affordable, safer and more
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
ALL IMAGES: TOYOTA

Automotive Engineering - October 2021

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