2014 Toyota Rav4 Limited on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Solid-state batteries: Why Toyota's plans could be a game-changer for EVs

Word out of Japan today is that Toyota is working on launching a new solid-state battery for electric vehicles that will put it solidly in the EV game by 2022. Which leads to a simple question: What is a solid-state battery, and why does it matter? Back in February, John Goodenough observed, "Cost, safety, energy density, rates of charge and discharge and cycle life are critical for battery-driven cars to be more widely adopted." And risking a bad pun on his surname, he seemed to be implying that all of those characteristics weren't currently good enough in autos using lithium-ion batteries. This comment is relevant because Goodenough, professor at the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin - it so happens, he turns 95 today - is the co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery, the type of battery that is pretty much the mainstay of current electric vehicles. And he and a research fellow at U of T were announcing they'd developed a solid-state battery, one that has improved energy density (which means a car so equipped can drive further) and can be recharged more quickly and more often (a.k.a., "long cycle life") than a lithium-ion battery. (Did you ever notice that with time your iPhone keeps less of a charge than it did back when it was shiny and new? That's because it has a limited cycle life. Which is one thing when you're talking about a phone. And something else entirely when it involves a whole car.) What's more, there is reduced mass for a solid-state battery. And there isn't the same safety concern that exists with li-ion batteries vis-a- vis conflagration (which is why at airplane boarding gates they say they'll check your carryon as long as you remove all lithium-ion batteries). Lithium-ion batteries may be far more advanced than the lead-acid batteries that are under the hood of essentially every car that wasn't built in Fremont, Calif., but as is the case with those heavy black rectangles, li-ion batteries contain a liquid. In the lithium-ion battery, the liquid, the electrolyte, moves the lithium ions from the negative to the positive side (anode to cathode) of the battery. In a solid-state design, there is no liquid sloshing around, which also means that there's no liquid that would freeze at low operating temperatures. What Toyota is using for its solid-state battery is still unknown, as is the case for the solid-state batteries that Hyundai is reportedly working on for its EVs.

The 300-series Lexus LX will have V8, greater differentiation from Land Cruiser

For the first time in 64 years, there will not be a Toyota Land Cruiser sold in the U.S. The venerable off-roader is not in Toyota's 2021 American lineup, but the rest of the world will still get the next-generation Cruiser, called the 300 series internally, later this year. However, we may still receive a version of it badged as the Lexus LX. Here's what a new report suggests we might see. According to the Japan's Best Car magazine, the next LX will be more differentiated from its Land Cruiser cousin. The exterior is reportedly more distinctive, and the interior designed to be more suitable for a flagship luxury SUV. It'll still wear a version of the Lexus spindle grille, with different hood, fenders and quarter panels than the Cruiser. Naturally, the head- and taillights will differ as well. Most importantly, the LX will continue to use a ladder frame. Best Car says that the LX will continue to offer a 5.7-liter V8 good for 372 horsepower (which in the U.S. gives 383 horsepower). However, the Land Cruiser will ditch the V8 for a 3.5-liter turbo V6, offered with and without a hybrid system. Notably, the hybrid will not be the same as the one found in other Toyota cars, but a combination 10-speed automatic and motor that's more suitable for a heavy vehicle.  Last but not least, the report states that Toyota will also create a GR Sport version of Land Cruiser. Presumably, that means some dressier aero bits, larger wheels, and a suspension more tuned for highway, um, cruising.  The Land Cruiser is scheduled to debut in September 2021, while the Lexus may follow a couple of years later, despite being developed in parallel. The LX is considered to be more of a Lexus flagship than the LS sedan in many parts of the world, so it makes sense that Toyota will continue offering it. Related Video:

How platform problems are delaying next-gen Prius

Short-term pain for longer-term gain? That may be the prognosis for the next-generation Toyota Prius, the world's best-selling hybrid. But, hey, the new version might get holiday season debut, now. Toyota is upgrading some of its most popular models and trying to cut long-term costs with components that can be used on multiple models on the new Toyota New Global Architecture platform, Automotive News says. That means more parts that can be used for the Camry, Avalon (not big stretch, since the Avalon is basically a rich man's Camry) and Corolla in addition to the Prius. The downside, of course, is that this takes a bit more engineering and certainly more time. In the case of the Prius, that means pushing back the start of production from next summer to December 2015. But Automotive News also says the Prius may have an all-wheel-drive option. Happy Holidays. The report is in update from Automotive News Europe, which cited folks familiar with the process who were not identified and said late last month that the production of the fourth-gen Prius would be pushed back by about six months as engineers continue to tweak the hybrid powertrain for maximum efficiency. The goal is around a 10 percent improvement in fuel-efficiency thanks to an upgraded powertrain and lower vehicle weight. Toyota spokeswoman Amanda Rice told AutoblogGreen in an email that the company doesn't comment on future products, so we'll just have to keep an eye out.