logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
23m 52s

Has Toyota solved the electric car batte...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Toyota has unveiled a revolutionary electric car battery, able to travel 1,200 kilometres in one go and can be charged in just ten minutes.

Toyota’s CEO Koji Sato said that “commercialisation of solid state batteries is a thing of the future... now within reach, changing the future of cars". The company also claims to be on the brink of being able to manufacture them.

So is this, as some are claiming, a ‘watershed moment’ in car making? Can these new batteries now be produced at scale? What impact will this have on the popularity of electric cars and their uptake?

Has Toyota solved the electric car battery problem?

Contributors:

Paul Shearing, chair in sustainable energy engineering and director of the Zero Institute at the University of Oxford. Shirley Meng, Professor of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. Jeff Liker, Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Michigan for 35 years. Dr Evi Petavratzi, a mineral commodity specialist from the British Geological Survey. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Bob Howard Editor: Tara McDermott Sound Designer: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator: Jordan King

Image: Olga Rolenko via Getty Images - 1403000871

Up next
Sep 1
Should rivers have personhood?
River systems around the world are under stress from various factors ranging from pollution, to agriculture, to extractive industries. In some parts of the world there are regulations to help protect rivers, but in a lot of cases these are just preventative measures for a system ... Show More
23m 11s
Aug 25
How has the Cockroach Janta Party changed India’s politics?
In July 2026, tens of thousands of students took to the streets in India’s capital, demanding reforms to education. The protests followed the leak of medical entrance exam papers but quickly grew to reflect wider concerns about job opportunities for graduates.The movement became ... Show More
24m 17s
Aug 18
Can elections restore Moroccans’ faith in their country?
In September, Morocco’s citizens will go to the polls for the country’s general election. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, with a multi-party-political system. A new head of government will be appointed by King Mohammed VI, from the winning party, to form a ruling coalition. ... Show More
24m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
Battery Baatein
Finance Minister in her Budget speech spoke about a battery swapping policy. But will this push re-energise the battery manufacturers and hasten EV adoption? And why will it take off in India when even Tesla has had to face challenges? Host Arijit Barman speaks to Ajay Goel, Co-f ... Show More
29m 29s
Nov 2024
Can battery-swapping boost electric car sales?
We’re in Madrid to discover a new way to power urban electric vehicles. No longer charging but swapping your batteries, or charging at your desk.We meet the people trying it out, and speak to leading motor journalists to see if this really is a game changer in electric vehicle dr ... Show More
17m 39s
May 2021
Electric vehicles hit the big time
The car industry is preparing to go fully electric sooner than you might imagine - and not just because of the climate crisis.Justin Rowlatt speaks to Bjorn Annwall, head of Volvo Cars in Europe, about why his company is one of a string of major carmakers to rush out plans in rec ... Show More
17m 58s
May 2023
Driven to Adapt
Electric vehicles have revolutionized the automotive industry and created a sustainable circular economy. Today in 2050, the internal combustion engine is a relic of the past. At the Paulista Grand Prix in São Paulo, race car driver Bela Tanaka goes neck and neck with Rahul Gonza ... Show More
27m 42s
Oct 2023
Babbage: How to avoid a battery shortage
In the coming decades, electric vehicles will dominate the roads and renewables will provide energy to homes. But for the green transition to be successful, unprecedented amounts of energy storage is needed. Batteries will be used everywhere—from powering electric vehicles, to pr ... Show More
44m 44s
Sep 2023
Toyota releases prototype hydrogen Hilux Ute
The race is on in the motoring world to corner the rural market with practical heavy load bearing zero emissions vehicles. Car maker Toyota has just laid down the challenge to other manufacturers in debuting it's hydrogen-Hilux. 
10m 39s