Dry process electrodes were the focus of a major presentation of the technology at Tesla’s Battery Day in September 2020. The dry process electrode will be the focus of rechargeable batteries.

This is a technology that can reduce battery manufacturing costs by 30% or more, and is positioned as an important technology that could lead to the mass production of all-solid-state batteries if we broaden our perspective a bit. Dry electrode technology and related production facilities were proposed. Tesla announced at Battery Day that it plans to mass-produce a 4,680-cylinder battery using dry electrode technology in 2026. If this works, it will be the first time that a battery is being mass-produced in the world. If this works, a breakthrough will be made in the mass production of all-solid-state batteries, which is currently considered to be a slow process.

The global BEV market is losing momentum and growth is slowing, and some automakers that were aiming to shift to a BEV-only business have switched to a strategy of coexisting with hybrid vehicles (HEV/PHEV), such as the Japanese automakers. In the U.S., the second Trump administration will take office in January 2025, casting a dark cloud over the decarbonization of mobility. However, despite the uncertain outlook, the challenges that the automotive industry must tackle are clear. A technology-neutral approach that mobilizes all possible technologies, including not only BEVs but also engine vehicles, hybrid vehicles, hydrogen, eFuel, and biofuels, is required to achieve the climate-neutral targets under the Paris Agreement.

From a technology-neutral perspective, we must look at the possibilities and challenges of each technology and address sustainability-related topics from production to disposal/recycling and the paradigm shift in development/production/sales through SDV.