Honda Motor has unveiled a new demonstration production line for all-solid-state batteries at its facility in Sakura City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
The demonstration line is planned to commence batteries production in January 2025.
The initiative is aimed at establishing a mass production process and determine battery cell specifications for future electrified models. The focus is on applying these batteries to vehicles in the second half of the 2020s.
Located on the property of Honda R&D in Sakura, the demonstration line covers approximately 27,400m2.
It is equipped with facilities to validate each production process, including coating, weighing and mixing electrode materials, and roll pressing of electrode assembly, and cell formation.
The company said it will verify mass production technologies and costs for each process while developing battery cell specifications.
The production process adopts a roll-pressing technique, contributing to increased density of solid electrolyte layers, unique to all-solid-state batteries.
The roll-pressing technique aims to enhance interfacial contact between the electrolyte and electrodes, increasing productivity. By consolidating assembly processes, Honda seeks to reduce production time per cell.
The company is also working to cut indirect production costs, including power consumption, by implementing production control technology.
Honda R&D president and representative director Keiji Otsu said: “The all-solid-state battery is an innovative technology that will be a game changer in this EV era. Replacing engines that have been supporting the advancements of automobiles to date, batteries will be the key factor of electrification.
“We believe that advancement of batteries will be a driving force in the transformation of Honda. Now, the start of operation of our demonstration production line for our all-solid-state batteries is in sight, and we can say that we have reached an important milestone for Honda and the country of Japan.”
Honda is also undertaking research and development in material specifications and manufacturing methods, targeting mass production in the second half of the 2020s.
By 2050, Honda aims to achieve carbon neutrality. It aims for battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles to represent 100% of new vehicle sales globally by 2040.
