The president of Honda's research and development (R&D) center said that by the 2040s, the company will develop solid-state batteries to replace liquid lithium-ion batteries, increasing driving range by about 2.5 times.
In addition, global automakers and battery suppliers have also announced development plans for solid-state batteries. Nissan - Honda's strategic partner - has announced that it is developing solid-state batteries and is expected to start operating a pilot line in March 2025.
The world's largest automaker by sales, Toyota, also announced that it is looking to commercialize solid-state batteries in 2027-2028 in partnership with Idemitsu Kosan.
It can be seen that this technology is considered the "key" to creating safe, durable and cheap electric vehicles in the context of slowing electric vehicle growth.
"This is a big change in the era of electric vehicles," the president of Honda's research and development center (R&D) told the press. Honda has invested 43 billion yen (about 7,041 billion VND) in Honda's solid-state battery test production line in Tochigi, north of Tokyo (Japan).
Honda will begin operating a test line in January 2025, with the goal of reducing battery size by 50%, weight by 35% and cost by 25% compared to today.
The company plans to increase car production to more than 2 million units/year by the end of 2030. Honda also aims to achieve a global sales ratio of 40% for electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles by 2030 and 100% by 2040.
