Toyota's Next Step: Solid-state Batteries and Hydrogen Power

Under new management, Toyota have announced a major wave of new developments that will see the auto major through the next few decades. Here's a walk-through of the developments

- Jim Gorde

EVER SINCE KOJI SATO WAS HANDED OVER the reins as new president and CEO this past April, Toyota Motor Corporation have been in the headlines with new developments and a more specific outline of plans to go greener, from new battery technology and a greater focus on electric vehicles (EV) to advanced hydrogen propulsion technology and carbon neutrality goals-"to change minus to zero and further create the value beyond zero".

Firstly, Toyota will look at implementing electrification on a far greater scale; something they can do right away to reduce CO2 emission from the present state. Further, Toyota will promote EVs as well as look at strengthening sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), with a particular focus on emerging markets. The aim is to develop plug-in hybrids by increasing battery efficiency to extend the EV-mode driving range beyond 200 kilometres.

Toyota have actively promoted the introduction of electrified vehicles and, since the introduction of the first-generation Prius, a total of 22.5 million units have been sold, equivalent to CO2 emission reduction of approximately 7.5 million battery electric vehicles (BEV), led by hybrid electric vehicles. Having refined the performance and cost by each successive generation, the drop in the cost of hybrid systems is one-sixth of the original.