There are a few reasons why some buyers are reluctant to buy EVs in general, thats why Honda Goes Electric, but one of the biggest issues is the limitations of current battery technology. Now Honda appears to be tackling the problem head-on with its own built-in-house solid state batteries.
Earlier in November, Honda revealed a new battery production line in Sakura City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. They explained the point of this production line this way:
While conducting technical verification to establish a mass production process on this demonstration line, Honda will determine the basic specifications of the battery cells, with an aim to begin applying its all-solid-state batteries to electrified models that will be introduced to market in the second half of the 2020s.
Translation: They’re figuring out the design of the batteries they want to build, they’re figuring out how to build them, and once that’s sorted, these new solid-state batteries will be available in the next few years.
Note the timeline: Honda says this is going to happen between 2025 and 2029, and in case you haven’t noticed, 2025 is just around the corner. If they want to figure solid state battery technology out, they’d better get geared up quickly. But also note that this timeline jives with previous statements Honda has made about drastically ramping up electric vehicle manufacturing—particularly electric motorcycle production—over the next few years, with new EV factories all over the world.
See photos of the production line below; if Honda’s plans work out, these will be replicated in countries around the world.
Honda says its track record of achieving mass production with new technologies means they will succeed in their new electrification goals as well:
Even before the battery materials and specifications are determined, the production engineering division has been participating in development and taking part in decisions on battery structure, materials, and production methods, which would be most suitable for vehicle installation. As a result, Honda was able to begin operation of this demonstration line quickly, and is making efficient progress in material selections.
Honda is placing a big bet on solid state battery tech, saying they are the key to achieving this massive growth. The idea is to adapt li-ion technology into a new manufacturing process that will make batteries more affordable to produce, and more energy-dense:
Based on the conventional production process for liquid lithium-ion batteries, the Honda all-solid-state battery production process adopts a roll-pressing technique which will contribute to an increase in the density of the solid electrolyte layers, a process unique only to the production of all-solid-state batteries, and makes continuous pressing possible. With the adoption of the roll-pressing technique, Honda will strive to increase the degree of interfacial contact between the electrolyte and the electrodes and also increase overall productivity. Moreover, by consolidating and speeding up a series of assembly processes, including the bonding of positive and negative electrodes, Honda will strive to significantly reduce the production time per cell. Furthermore, Honda is also working to reduce indirect costs of battery production, including power consumption, by implementing various measures, including the establishment of production control technology that minimizes the low dew point environment necessary to ensure work safety and battery performance.
By increasing cost competitiveness of its all-solid-state batteries through the adoption of a highly efficient production process and by expanding application of the batteries to a wide range of Honda mobility products, not only automobiles but motorcycles and aircraft, Honda aims to further reduce battery costs by taking advantage of economies of scale. Through these initiatives, Honda will offer new value made possible by its innovative all-solid-state battery technologies to an even greater number of customers and expand the joy of mobility.
Streamlining production and working on problems of economy of scale are just as important to this change as the actual design of the batteries themselves. Battery energy density and expense are the two biggest problems that electric motorcycles face currently—to make any amount of range possible, the manufacturers have to build big, heavy batteries that also cost a lot of money. If Honda can build more compact batteries and better production lines to reduce costs, it will go a long way to making electric motorcycles more practical.
Whether that makes them more desirable to the anti-EV crowd is another question entirely. And that especially goes for the ADV crowd, where the ability to go long distances away from civilization is important, along with wanting low weight and practical DIY serviceability. Honda may be able to solve these problems, but convincing motorcyclists is another thing entirely.