Lexus Waits for Next-Generation Battery Technology to Power Hybrids


Lexus will not be switching to lithium-ion batteries to power their hybrids, and will instead continue to use nickel-metal hydride batteries — here’s Mark Templin, executive vice president of Lexus International, talking with Hans Greimel of Automotive News:

“We feel like we need to get to the next generation of batteries,” Templin said at a July 10 launch event for the Lexus IS sedan. “Lithium ion doesn’t bring enough positive return. You have to leapfrog the current technology to get to the next generation of battery technology.”

That could happen by around 2020, he suggested.

“In our world, that’s pretty quick. That’s almost a product cycle,” Templin said. “A lot of the German luxury car life cycles are seven, eight years. That’s one cycle of their cars, and we’ll be in different technology.”

There are plenty of options — for example, Toyota is experimenting with magnesium batteries, and estimates it may be ready around 2020. Beyond batteries, there’s also a new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle on the horizon — it may be more than just hybrid technology powering the next-generation of Lexus vehicles.

[Source: Automotive News]

FutureHybridsTech
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    Yong Thian Ding
  • July 18, 2013
I hope this gamble turn out right , because there's more & more car maker use Lithium .
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    MT
  • July 18, 2013
Lithium batteries are not that reliable and quite unstable. I wonder why Toyota uses it in the Prius+ at all.
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      Lasse J. Nordvik
    • July 18, 2013
    To make room for a 3rd row of seats,I believe. Superbly practical and economical car,by the way.
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    BlackDynamiteOnline
  • July 18, 2013
Makes sense. Why use Lithium for 5-6 years, then have to jump to something else? Do what you do, and when the technology makes a real leap forward, and batteries have plenty of room for growth, Toyota will be ready to pounce. It's not like anybody else is threatening them in the Hybrid market anyway..... BD
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I can imagine two options: - Lithium-polymer - and my favorite, "Paper" battery http://www.leftlanenews.com/researchers-develop-paper-battery-that-could-see-use-in-hybrids.html
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    BlackDynamiteOnline
  • July 18, 2013
How about a good Hemp battery! BD
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    F1orce
  • July 18, 2013
Meh batteries

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