Toyota secures huge lead in solid-state battery patents

TOKYO -- Toyota Motor is by far the leading holder of solid-state battery patents, a Nikkei study shows, demonstrating how Japanese companies have dominated the race to develop the next-generation power source for electric vehicles.

Solid-state batteries do away with liquid electrolytes used in conventional lithium-ion batteries. TDK and other companies have already put miniature solid-state batteries on the market, but solid-state batteries for EVs are still in the prototype stage.