In a recent press release, Toyota claims that they have developed a new technology that will vastly enhance the storage capacity of its next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

Toyota did not disclose technical details, but they revealed that the progress came from the production of single crystals of lithium cobalt oxide. In cooperation with Japan’s Tohoku University, Toyota developed this new lithium-ion technology.

According to Japan’s Nikkei business daily, the breakthrough could net a ten-fold improvement in battery performance. If so, Toyota will certainly set the bar higher for electric vehicles with a range of 1,000 miles. Furthermore, the new technology is said to weigh less and occupy less than lithium-ion batteries currently under development.

There is no definite time given as to when the new technology will be available in a production car, but Toyota has repeatedly stated it would wait on electric and mass-produced plug-in hybrids until battery technology became more viable.