The Facts
On Tuesday, Japanese car manufacturer Toyota announced it had made a technological breakthrough that would enable it to cut the weight, size, and cost of batteries in half, which would be a major boon to the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
The world’s largest car manufacturer by vehicles sold said it had developed technology for lighter and cheaper solid-state batteries, which would increase the range of EVs.
The Spin
Narrative A
Toyota is on the path to creating a groundbreaking technology that would not only improve the cost and production of electric vehicles but would also play a key role in the fight for environmental sustainability. Toyota has been at the cutting edge of technology and has wisely devoted time and resources to solid-state battery development. It seems like the efforts have paid off, as the revolutionary batteries could be available by 2027.
Narrative B
While it would be great to believe that Toyota has actually produced “game-changing” technology that will revolutionize the auto industry, the reality is more complex. Toyota has claimed for years that it is on the brink of some breakthrough but has been lagging behind other industry leaders in EVs. Toyota has no concrete details about its plan, and praises should be postponed until material progress is actually made.