Lost In Translation: About That Miracle 600 Mile Battery...
Yesterday, we told you about that miracle battery, Toyota allegedly has developed. The Nikkei [sub] said it will double the range of an EV. The Tokyo wire quoted researchers as saying that they “may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km” (310 to 620 miles), You possibly noticed the skeptical tone when we reported on the report . As it turns out, the Nikkei was a bit – exuberant.
Checking in with Toyota this morning, we learn that Toyota’s researchers indeed have a new Sodium-Ion battery technology. However, research into this technology is in its very, very early stages.
A group of Toyota researchers (M. Nose, H. Nakayama, K. Nobuhara, S. Nakanishi, and H. Iba) presented a paper titled “Novel Cathode Materials of Sodium-Containing Metal Phosphates as Highly Voltage Sodium-Ion Batteries” at a symposium in Honolulu. After two of the researchers, Nakanishi-san, and Iba-san were interviewed by the Nikkei, some finer, but crucial points were either misunderstood or lost in translation.
Instead of targeting 2020 as the date of commercial release of the battery, the researchers think that commercialization can take anywhere between 10 to 20 years – if commercialization indeed turns out to be viable.
The researchers confirm that the new battery has the potential to extend driving range. However, they did not say, “We may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km.” What they said was that to be commercially viable, a next-generation battery should give an EV that range or one exceeding it. With that in mind, they are pushing forward with their research.
Bottom line: Take that sodium story with a big grain of salt.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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It's Toyota, I wouldn't bet against them. 20 years ago if you told people that Toyota would build a mainstream hybrid people would have said "you so crazy". How big is their R&D budget for this and a whole bunch of other crazy stuff that won't bear fruition? The stuff that will be commercially viable will be marketed like crazy.
With our new Prius Apollo, drivers can now harness the energy of the Sun.” yes how much current can u harness? 150 milli amp or 10 amp/hr both are doing the same job. several yrs ago I was pretty naive to think one of these small panel 15 X 4 inches panel could re-charge a dead batt. well is going to adequately re-charge my night light thats about all. Not even enuf juice to power up the car radio system. And Tesla folks were claiming to build roadside quick charging stn to refill teslas' batt in as much time u take a pee pee, buy a fresh ground starbucks latte or check your stock online. Perhaps this is going to happen by 2045.