Toyota solid state battery car coming in 2020... but there's a catch!

Solid state battery tech is expected to change the game for EVs.

Toyota is set to debut a new electric vehicle in 2020 with a solid state battery setup - but it won't be a production car.

According to Toyota chief technology officer, Shigeki Terashi, the company will debut its first solid-state battery-powered vehicle at the 2020 Olympics - likely in the form of the e-Palette mini bus.

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The advantages of solid state battery systems include smaller packaging, lighter weight, longer range, faster recharging and potentially lower costs of manufacture. But a mass-market rollout isn't likely until around 2025, according to Mr. Terashi.

"We will produce a car with solid state batteries and unveil it to you in 2020, but mass production models with solid state batteries will be a little later," Mr. Terashi told assembled media ahead of the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show.

Including among those mass BEV (battery electric vehicle) models is likely a joint-venture SUV that is in the works as part of an agreement with Subaru, while other electric cars from Toyota will include a joint-venture with Maruti Suzuki in India - likely a model based off the Wagon R.

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The company has also introduced its catchily named Ultra-compact BEV - a tiny two-seater with a top speed of 60km/h and a 100km battery range which will be on sale in Japan in 2020. It won't be sold in Australia.

Mr. Terashi made clear that the days of nickel-hydride batteries (offered in hybrid models in Australia such as the RAV4 Hybrid, Corolla Hybrid and Camry Hybrid) and lithium-ion batteries are not limited.

The improvements in range that a more compact solid state battery could offer - without requiring a huge, heavy and expensive 100kWh-plus lithium-ion battery pack - is one of the biggest potential advantages to this improvement in EV technology.

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A recent report from UK technology research agency IDTechEx stated that the race is on to achieve 1000km electric range, but that current technology comes at a huge cost - size, weight, and financial.

The report argues that "range sells electric cars", and "long range [EVs] sell in 100 times the numbers and [retain] three times the resale value".