Toyota Motor Corp, a late-comer to the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market, is weaving in all efforts to make sure its first mass-market model is safer and lasts longer than rivals’ products when it goes on sale later this year…

BEVs typically take hours to charge, and using quick-charging methods often cause the battery’s cells to heat up, leading to degradation. That, in turn, reduces cruising range over time, hurting a vehicle’s resale value.

Toyota said its batteries, developed with Panasonic Corp, contain a special coolant that does not conduct electricity easily. Battery packs are also structured to keep the cells and coolant separated in case of a leak.

This and other innovations mean the new BEV series’ batteries would retain more than 90% of their capacity after a decade, Toyota said.