With the overwhelming success of the Prius and the Yaris, some would say that Toyota is already the world’s leading green car producer. However, for the Japanese automaker there are major plans ahead to stay at the forefront of environmentally focused technology.
Toyota is setting up a new division to develop battery technology in an effort to enhance future plug-in hybrid vehicles. It wants to develop what it describes as ‘next generation batteries’ by 2030 with the aim being to produce more energy than both lithium-ion batteries and nickel metal hydride batteries, which are used in hybrid car production today. The firm will begin implementing lithium-ion batteries – the latest technology – from 2009 onwards for production in its vehicles during the following year.
Nevertheless lithium-ion batteries still have issues, which have prompted Toyota to look more closely at the technology. For example, they are prone to overheating, which is why Toyota is looking at metal-air batteries and all solid state batteries.
Company president Katsuaki Watanabe told the Toyota Environmental Forum: “There will be no future for automobiles unless we solve the energy and environmental issues.”
The Toyota Prius was the first mass produced hybrid car in the world and the Toyota Yaris was named ‘Green Car of the Year’ earlier this year.
