Overview

• The companies said joint research begun in 2021 produced a highly durable cathode material that tackles degradation during repeated charge cycles.
• They entered a joint development agreement to advance manufacturing and will focus on improving performance, safety, quality and costs.
• Sumitomo Metal plans to begin mass production as early as the fiscal year starting April 2028 and will prioritize supplying Toyota.
• Toyota is looking to launch electric vehicles with all-solid-state batteries in 2027 or 2028.
• The program complements Toyota’s collaboration with Idemitsu Kosan on lithium sulfide, while broader commercialization still faces material, manufacturing and cost hurdles.