Japanese mineral oil company Idemitsu Kosan intends to build a lithium sulfide production plant in Chiba, near Tokyo. According to the company, the plant will produce about 1,000 tons of lithium sulfide per year, starting in June 2027. The precursor is needed for electrolytes that will be used in future solid-state batteries. The amount is expected to be sufficient for a battery capacity of approximately three gigawatt-hours per year. The total investment is equivalent to approximately 143 million US dollars of which the Japanese government may provide up to 48 million dollars in subsidies.
First shipments intended for Toyota
Idemitsuʼs goal is to build an integrated supply chain from raw materials to finished electrolytes. The company is currently developing two types of solid-state electrolytes and is operating two smaller test plants. The construction of a pilot plant for these electrolytes is intended for 2025. The first shipments will go to Toyota, which plans to launch solid-state electric vehicles in 2027 or 2028.
Sources:
https://www.idemitsu.com/jp/news/2024/250227_en.pdf
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/japans-idemitsu-build-lithium-sulphide-plant-help-support-toyotas-ev-plans-2025-02-27/
