TOKYO — Electric vehicles are finally finding traction as sales and investment plans rapidly expand. But automakers say EVs will really take off with the arrival of solid-state batteries.
The next-generation power packs promise safety, cost, weight and performance improvements over today's lithium ion batteries. And crucially, they could spur wider EV adoption in popular segments such as pickups, large SUVs and sporty cars, where weight and size are issues.
Japanese automakers are among the more bullish about the technology. Toyota, Nissan and Honda see solid state coming to market in the latter half of the 2020s. European players are also splurging on solid state. Volkswagen envisions having the technology on the road by 2025.