Much of this relies on Toyota’s next-generation manufacturing processes, which the company previewed last month in Japan at three of its plants. Now, the automaker has released more details about how the new EV manufacturing breakthroughs will help it churn out electric vehicles and batteries more quickly at much lower costs.<\/p>\n
Last month’s Monozokuri (Production) Workshop showcased manufacturing advancements including giga casting, automated cars that drive themselves down the line,\u00a0splitting cars into three parts vertically to speed up assembly, and the next-generation battery assembly line.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gallery: Toyota Next-Gen EV Production Line <\/h3>\n
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At the event, Toyota promised to cut the processes that slow down innovation in half, which is a huge ambition.\u00a0Toyota’s Chief Production Officer, Kazuaki Shingo, said the automaker would “halve processes using Toyota’s skills and digital and innovative technology, eliminate the barriers between development and production to provide new mobility quickly and work to resolve issues at the foundation of Monozukuri, such as factory carbon neutrality and logistics.”<\/p>\n
This should help reduce production costs, something that’s currently crushing for most of the legacy automakers and an area where Tesla and the Chinese newcomers are way ahead.\u00a0Let’s dive into how Toyota wants to catch up.<\/span><\/p>\n Next-Generation Battery Assembly Line<\/span><\/p>\n The Japanese automaker’s Teiho plant is getting ready for mass production of solid-state batteries, which are expected to become commercially available in its next-generation BEVs in 2027-2028. The new batteries are expected to increase the range to around 621 miles initially and reduce charging to where cars can go from 10% to 80% in 10 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n The plant will handle everything from “equipment design to assembly and installation,” Toyota says. One of the key technologies for mass production during the battery assembly process is high-speed, high-precision stacking that doesn’t damage the battery materials.<\/p>\n Prototype all-solid-state battery production line inside a temperature- and humidity-controlled room at Teiho plant<\/p>\n To address that, Toyota made it so the pallets that carry and receive batteries all move at the same speed. In addition, all pallets and machinery are equipped with mechanisms to prevent misalignment as the batteries are passed through.<\/p>\n At the same time, Toyota plans to cut material costs by using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) for the cathode of the so-called popularization version of its next-generation battery, which will feature a supersized bipolar structure; normally, the cathode would be coated with rare metals such as nickel and cobalt.<\/p>\n To compensate for lower energy density and maintain battery capacity, the current collectors will have a thicker coating of LFP, using the space gained through employing a bipolar structure with fewer components.<\/p>\n Mind you, to make these batteries a reality, Toyota must overcome several challenges: applying the material evenly, doing so at high speeds, simultaneously sealing all the cells, and doing this on large surface areas \u2013 i.e. on batteries big enough to power an automobile.<\/p>\n The automaker plans to tackle these challenges by tapping into its 26-year experience in battery production technologies for its hybrids, its bipolar nickel-metal hydride battery technology and expertise, the precision coating used for FCEVs, and various digital technologies. That’s been a sticking point for many critics: where is the company that gave the world hybrids at scale on fully electric cars?\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.motor1.com\/images\/custom\/thumbnail\/monopolar-battery-vs-bipolar-battery.jpg\")
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