Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. (Tokyo) will increase the production capacity of Plant 1 (launched in November 2021), small pilot facilities for solid electrolytes (planned completion: within fiscal 2024), in order to expand the use of all-solid-state lithium-ion rechargeable batteries (“all-solid-state batteries”). In addition, Plant 2, comprising small pilot facilities, will start operation in July this year. The company will steadily supply solid electrolytes to car/battery manufacturers and others who are developing all solid-state batteries.
Idemitsu Kosan’s Plant 1 will see an increase in capacity for solid electrolytes (Photo: Idemitsu Kosan)
All-solid-state batteries are expected to be put to practical use and their expansion, mainly as a technology to meet the performance needs of electric vehicles (EVs), such as longer cruising range, shorter recharging time, and improved safety. Car/battery manufacturers, etc., are accelerating development, which in turn is driving material needs even higher.
By utilizing samples produced at the small pilot facilities (Plants 1 and 2), Idemitsu will quickly create appropriate material specifications through promoting development while gaining an understanding of the needs of entities such as car/battery manufacturers. The plan is to apply validation at the small pilot facilities as a foothold to establish mass production technology at the large pilot facilities, which is the next stage, and then to go on to commercialize the technology. Idemitsu is also engaged in joint development with materials manufacturers to develop new high-performance materials.