Toyota said it aims to introduce solid-state batteries to its vehicles by “2027-2028”, with a shelf life of up to 40 years – four times the current lifespan of most electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
Solid-state battery (SSB) technology is being touted as a “silver bullet” for electric vehicles by several manufacturers, including Toyota, Honda and Mercedes-Benz.
It promises a range of more than 1000 km on a single charge with a battery that is smaller, lighter and cheaper to produce than existing batteries.
For comparison, the longest electric range quoted by an automaker in Australia is 750 km for the Tesla Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive 2026. This is the more realistic WLTP cycle.
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A nickel-manganese-cobalt battery (NMC) is used in this Model 3 and in the flagship performance variant.
Still, Toyota says its new solid-state technology will go further with a lifespan that extends beyond the rest of the vehicle, unlocking the potential for battery swapping between cars and making higher upfront costs worthwhile in the long run.
Speaking to Australian outlets including Daily Sparkz Speaking at the Japan Mobility Show (JMS) in Tokyo, Keiji Kaita – president of Toyota’s Carbon Neutral Advanced Engineering Development Center – said SSBs won’t be cheap right from the start.
“This is one of the points we need to clarify with our supplier now,” said Kaita-san.
“(We have) assumed cost versus quantity cost… and we also assume demand versus price cost – and then we have the process of how we should then… reduce the cost.”
“This is a very important point for the expansion of solid-state battery technology.”
This suggests the technology will initially be offered in Lexus or Century models and then take longer to trickle down to mainstream vehicles like the next-generation Toyota Corolla, which will be unveiled in Tokyo with an eye-catching concept car.
However, Kaita-san said Toyota’s SSBs can last longer than the car, with an astonishing claimed lifespan four times longer than current battery packs, giving owners better value for money.
“So initially the price is actually much higher – but gradually it will get closer to that of others – but we would like to take advantage of the durable, super-long (lifetime) features,” he said.
“Even if the vehicle might be scrapped, we can install the battery in a new vehicle, two, maybe even three times (over its lifespan).
“Compared to the existing lithium battery we currently manufacture, our target is perhaps 10 years and 90 percent capacity under typical usage,” the engineer said.
“That (SSB) is maybe 40 years, 90 percent capacity – that’s the potential we’re aiming for.”
This also means that the carbon footprint of production is only 25 percent, says the engineer, considering that four existing batteries would have to be manufactured for each SSB.
In October 2025, Toyota signed a collaboration with Sumitomo Metal Mining to mass produce cathode materials for SSBs, which are referred to as “solid state” because they have a solid (as opposed to liquid) electrolyte.
While Toyota isn’t confirming that SSBs will be offered in vehicles, it says it’s on track to deliver them to showroom models “in 2027-2028.” The bZ4X SUV is the only electric vehicle from Toyota currently in Australian showrooms. The bZ4X Touring, which is closely related to the Subaru Trailseeker, is confirmed for a local launch in 2026. MORE: Explore the Toyota showroom
