Japan’s second-largest oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan has taken a final investment decision and begun construction of a large pilot plant to produce solid electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries, the company said on Thursday, marking a step forward in efforts to commercialise next-generation battery technology.
The project is part of Idemitsu’s collaboration with Toyota Motor, which is targeting the launch of electric vehicles equipped with all-solid-state batteries in the 2027–2028 timeframe. Idemitsu said the decision moves the partnership into a new phase aimed at scaling up production capabilities. “This marks a move into the next phase toward commercialisation,” the company said.
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Automakers and battery suppliers worldwide are competing to develop solid-state batteries, which replace today’s flammable liquid electrolytes with solid materials and are widely viewed as key to delivering longer-lasting, safer and potentially more affordable electric vehicles.
Idemitsu is focusing on mass-production technology for solid electrolytes, a critical component of these batteries, and is already producing samples at two small-scale demonstration facilities, including one dedicated mainly to materials development for Toyota.
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Based on results from the new pilot facility, Idemitsu plans to move toward a larger-scale pilot plant with annual production capacity of several hundred metric tons. The solid electrolyte produced would be used in all-solid-state batteries for Toyota’s future EV models. The company aims to complete construction in 2027 at its Chiba plant near Tokyo, with engineering and construction contracted to Chiyoda Corp.
