Toyota Motor Corporation Has Major Tech Breakthrough

The transistor may be one of the most important inventions of the 20th Century. A simple, and small, switch could replace the bulky and problem-prone vacuum tubes found in early radios and computers. Your home, your car, and your pockets all have many descendants of the first transistor that was shown to the public back in 1947. Something just as revolutionary is coming to Keyes Toyota in the not-too-distant future.

Transistors were called “solid state,” because they replaced vacuum tubes. The next solid state revolution centers around batteries.

The batteries found in everything from your mobile phone to your new hybrid Toyota car use a liquid — usually lithium cobalt oxide — to generate power and hold a charge. Those batteries have gotten smaller, lighter, and more powerful over the years. However, their range is still relatively limited, and they can be slow to charge.

Solid state batteries recently developed by Toyota Motor Corporation replace liquid with a crystalline medium. Their manufacture is more expensive (though that will come down with economies of scale), but they have some significant advantages. They charge faster, hold more of a charge longer — hence, longer range — and they’re more stable.

And did we mention that the first cars with the new batteries are promised by 2022?

This has an impact beyond your new Toyota Prius. Why? Because the renewable energy industry puts its own spin on technology developed for cars. It’s used to store the power coming from wind and solar so it’s available when it’s needed. Your green car has an impact that goes far beyond your driveway!

Toyota hybrids have pointed the way to a greener future since 1997. You can see the latest results of all their research and development at your Toyota dealership today. Keyes Toyota is located at 5855 Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys, CA.