Toyota says it has found a technological breakthrough that will allow it to bring solid state batteries to market as early as 2027.

It’s one of several advanced battery technologies that will underscore the brand’s new EV focus as it pivots away from its former CEO’s hybrid-centric strategy.

Solid state batteries promise greater energy density, higher electric range, and faster charging that puts refueling time on-par with a gas-powered vehicle. Scientists, researchers, and automakers have spent decades trying to crack the code on their commercialization, but so far no EVs have them, including Toyota’s own offerings: the Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ.

But Toyota says it has found a new material that gets around one of the core issues with solid state batteries: Their longevity.

[745 miles of range by ’27 or ’28? That would be a game changer. ~ Beege]