noteProject Overview
Use of automobiles accounts for 16% of total CO2 emissions both globally and domestically. The movement toward the use of electric vehicles to stem global warming is accelerating worldwide, and the spread of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles is rapidly expanding in Europe and China. Efforts to support the development of fuel-cell trucks and buses are also increasing in many countries. To maintain and strengthen competitiveness in the automotive industry, the main pillar of Japan's economy, it is essential to accelerate initiatives toward electrification.
The challenges to be addressed toward the widespread use of electrified vehicles include expanding social acceptance through vehicle price reductions and infrastructure development such as electrified vehicle charging infrastructure and hydrogen stations. Another challenge will be to strengthen electrified vehicle-related technologies, supply chains, and value chains, including storage batteries, fuel cells, and motors. It is especially important to develop small lightweight storage batteries and motors for light and commercial vehicles which face restrictions in terms of vehicle body design and whose pricing is an important issue for consumers. In addition to developing highly efficient motors, another important issue, from the perspective of reducing life cycle CO2 emissions of a car, is the reduction of CO2 emissions during the manufacture and disposal of storage batteries and motors. In addition, since significant amounts of natural resources, such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, neodymium, and dysprosium, are used for producing storage batteries and motors, materials with lower supply chain risks must be developed to overcome constraints on resource availability, and issues related to recycling must also be addressed.
The aim of this project, therefore, is to address the following technological issues: 1. Improving the performance and affordability of storage batteries and motor systems, 2. Improving performance and promoting resource saving at the level of materials, and 3. Commercializing advanced recycling technologies. The aim of this project is also to strengthen the industrial competitiveness of storage batteries and motors along with developing basic technologies to support electrified vehicles in the future and strengthen supply and value chains.
Project Features
Research and development of high-performance storage batteries and materials
Under this project, R&D will be carried out in the following areas: 1. High-performance storage batteries and their materials, including high-capacity storage batteries (e.g., solid-state batteries) with an energy density capable of more than doubling the current driving range (at least 700-800 Wh/L), 2. Resource-conserving materials that can reduce the usage of cobalt, graphite, and others and 3. Low-carbon manufacturing processes for materials.
Development of technology for storage battery recycling
Technologies will be developed under this project to recover 70% of the lithium, 95% of the nickel, and 95% of the cobalt used in lithium-ion batteries. Such technology will facilitate recovery of these materials at competitive costs with a level of quality that enables them to be reused in storage batteries.
Development of high-efficiency and high-power-density technologies for mobility-related motor systems
Under this project, automotive motor systems will be developed that incorporate innovative technologies for materials, motor structures, inverters, and cooling systems to improve their efficiency (system average efficiency of 85%), compactness, weight-saving properties, and power (system output density 3.0 kW/kg).
Project Summary
Budget
Up to 151 billion yen
CO2 Reduction Effect (World)
- In 2040
- Approximately 260 million tons/year
- In 2050
- Approximately 940 million tons/year
Economic Effect (World)
EV and PHEV market size
- In 2040
- Approximately 62 trillion yen
- In 2050
- Approximately 182 trillion yen
Research and Development Targets
1. Storage batteries
- By 2030, develop technologies for storage batteries and materials with the aim of realizing storage batteries with volume energy density of at least 700-800 Wh/L (e.g. solid-state batteries) or storage batteries with output density of at least 2,000-2,500 W/kg and volume energy density of at least 200-300 Wh/L, assuming a package equipped with performance, size, etc. needed for automotive purposes.
- Develop materials technology for reducing usage of specific high-dependency materials such as cobalt and graphite; production technology for reducing GHG emissions during manufacture of materials and components; and production technology for enabling highly efficient production.
- Develop technologies to recover at least 70% of lithium, 95% of nickel, and 95% of cobalt (single metal equivalent) at costs no higher than market prices (either compound or single metal prices) with a level of quality that enables their reuse in storage batteries.
2. Motor field
- Aim to realize motor system average efficiency of 85% and motor unit output density of 8.0 kW/kg and motor system output density of 3.0 kW/kg.
Assumptions regarding estimates of CO2 reduction effect
- As a result of the commercialization of the storage batteries and motors being developed under this project, the dissemination of EVs and PHEVs is assumed to accelerate and reach the levels envisaged in the IEA’s Beyond 2℃ Scenario (B2DS). (In 2040: 411 million EVs and 184 million PHEVs; In 2050: 911 million EVs and 342 million PHEVs)
- The percentage of EVs and PHEVs using technologies realized under this project is assumed to total 30% by 2040 and 50% by 2050. Reductions in CO₂ emissions have been estimated under a scenario where EVs and PHEVs have entirely replaced conventional internal combustion engines vehicles.
Assumptions regarding estimates of economic effect
- Using the dissemination number of EVs and PHEVs envisaged in the IEA’s B2DS, the sales number of EVs and PHEVs using technologies realized under this project in 2040 and 2050 has been calculated by taking into account the rates of dissemination noted above.
- Estimates calculated under assumption that average sales price for EVs and PHEVs in 2040 and 2050 will be 2 million yen.
Project Implementing Entities
[Research and Development 1-(1)]
Research and development of high-performance storage batteries and materials
| Theme | Entity |
|---|---|
| Development of next-generation solid-state battery |
|
| Establishment of a process for high-performance and low-LCA battery based on ASSB technology |
|
| Development of advanced solid-state batteries |
|
| Development of next-generation storage batteries |
|
| Development of next-generation high-capacity, high-power lithium-ion batteries |
|
| Development of high-energy density All Polymer Battery |
|
| Development and demonstration of high-performance cathode materials for next-generation storage batteries |
|
| Development of lithium metal anode production technology for next-generation storage batteries |
|
| Development of mass production technology for sulfide-based solid electrolytes |
|
| Development of ultra-high ion conductive polymers for next generation storage batteries |
|
[Research and Development 1-(2)]
Development of technology for storage battery recycling
| Theme | Entity |
|---|---|
| Development and demonstration of storage battery recycling process |
|
| Development of technology for closed-loop recycling of automotive LiB |
|
| Development of a Low Environmental Impact Recycling Process for Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion Batteries |
|
| Establishment of a battery eco-cycle for low-CO2 recycling |
|
[Research and Development 2]
Development of high-efficiency and high-power-density technologies for mobility-related motor systems
| Theme | Entity |
|---|---|
| Development of high-efficiency electrification systems |
|
| Development of high-efficiency and high-power-density Motor system for Mobility |
|
| Practical application of low-cost, resource-saving, high-performance traction motors through the development of innovative induction motors |
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| Development of compact, lightweight, resource-saving, and high-efficiency electric axles |
|