Toyota Motor Corp., a latecomer to the battery electric vehicle (BEV) industry, is putting forth every effort to ensure that its first mass-market model is safer and lasts longer than competitors’ goods when it goes on sale later this year.
BEVs have increased in popularity around the world, however some buyers are scared off by EV battery-related fire dangers and quick degradation.
Following instances of fires, General Motors and Hyundai Motor were obliged to recall EVs equipped with LG Energy Solution batteries last year.
“We concentrated on balancing three factors: cruising range, battery deterioration, and charging speed,” said Masaya Yamamoto, a Toyota project manager, at a test-drive event for the bZ4X SUV prototype last week.
BEVs often take hours to charge, and quick-charging methods frequently cause the battery’s cells to overheat, resulting in degeneration. This, in turn, limits cruising range with time, lowering the resale value of a vehicle.
Toyota claims that its batteries, developed in collaboration with Panasonic Corp, feature a unique coolant that does not easily carry energy. In addition, battery packs are designed to keep cells and coolant separate in the event of a leak.
According to Toyota, this and other advancements imply that the new BEV series’ batteries will keep more than 90% of their capacity after a decade.
To address consumer concerns about battery life and resale value in Japan, where EVs have been reluctant to gain traction, Toyota is considering supplying the EVs only through “subscription” – a move to address concerns about battery life and resale value. Among other things, the monthly fee would cover the expense of maintenance and battery replacement.
Toyota has stated that the SUV model will be available in Japan and other major markets in mid-2022.
Toyota has set a target of selling 3.5 million BEVs per year by 2030 as part of an 8 trillion yen ($70 billion) effort to electrify its vehicles.
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