Lost In Translation: About That Miracle 600 Mile Battery…

Yesterday, we told you about that miracle battery, Toyota allegedly has developed. The Nikkei [sub] said it will double the range of an EV. The Tokyo wire quoted  researchers as saying that they "may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km" (310 to 620 miles), You possibly noticed the skeptical tone when we reported on the report . As it turns out, the Nikkei was a bit – exuberant. Checking in with Toyota this morning, we learn that Toyota's researchers indeed have a new Sodium-Ion  battery technology. However, research into this technology is in very, very early stages. A group of Toyota researchers (M. Nose, H. Nakayama, K. Nobuhara, S. Nakanishi, and H. Iba) presented a paper titled "Novel Cathode Materials of Sodium-Containing Metal Phosphates as Highly Voltage Sodium-Ion Batteries"  at a symposium in Honolulu. After two of the researchers,  Nakanishi-san, and Iba-san were interviewed by the Nikkei, some finer, but crucial points were misunderstood or lost in translation. Instead of targeting 2020 as the date of  commercial release of the battery, the researchers think that commercialization can take anywhere between 10 to 20 years – if commercialization indeed turns out to be viable. The researchers confirm  that the new battery has the potential to extend driving range. However, they did not say, "We may also be able to achieve a driving range of between 500km and 1,000km." What they said was that to be commercially viable, an EV should exceed that range, and that they are not sure that the new battery will be the key to that . Bottom line: Take that sodium story with a big grain of salt. from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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