According to Reuters on November 21, Keiji Otsu, President of the R&D Department of Honda Motor, stated that the company's goal is to double the driving range of its electric vehicles by the end of the 2020s, at which point they will begin using solid-state batteries. By the 2040s, the driving range will increase by more than 2.5 times. Currently, auto manufacturers and battery suppliers around the world have announced plans to develop solid-state batteries. With the slowdown in the growth of electric vehicles, solid-state batteries are seen as the key technology for manufacturing more durable, safer, and cheaper electric vehicles. Honda will invest 43 billion yen (approximately 0.277 billion USD) in a full solid-state battery pilot production line in Oyama, north of Tokyo, with nearly half of the funds subsidized by the Japanese government. Otsu stated that Honda will start operation of this pilot production line in January next year, with the goal of reducing battery size by 50%, weight by 35%, and cost by 25% within the next five years. In addition, Honda plans to increase electric vehicle production to over 2 million units by 2030.