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TOKYO -- Lithium ion batteries haven't even hit mass production for hybrid and electric vehicles. But Toyota is already eyeing a new generation with twice the energy storage.
The goal is a battery that can run 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single battery charge from a home outlet, Japan's Nikkan Kogyo newspaper reported.
Toyota Motor Corp. wants to commercialize the battery in 2020, it said.
The Japanese automaker could not confirm the report. But bringing out a next-generation battery is part of the company's Global Vision 2020 long-term strategy plan. Toyota wants a hybrid in each model line by the 2020s and will have to ramp up battery output to get there.
Details about the next-generation battery technology are still under wraps. But Toyota sees staying ahead in power storage as the key to keeping its lead in hybrid vehicles.
Nikkan Kogyo said air-zinc chemistry is one possibility for the future batteries. A new unit dedicated to developing the technology will be formed in June, it said.
The introduction of lithium ion batteries is seen as a breakthrough for hybrid and electric vehicles. The batteries, which have yet to be mass produced, are lighter and pack more energy than the nickel-metal hydride batteries that are currently the industry norm. Toyota plans to use lithium ion batteries in a new plug-in hybrid vehicle due by 2010. |
