Sens4Miles

Volkswagen, Sanyo to develop lithium-ion batteries

TOKYO, May 28 (Reuters) - Sanyo Electric Co and Volkswagen AG said on Wednesday they would jointly develop lithium-ion batteries, joining an intensifying race to provide the key component for the next generation of hybrid cars.

Sanyo, which has the biggest global market share of lithium-ion batteries used in personal computers and mobile phones, said it would spend 80 billion yen ($769 million) over the next seven years for the project, aiming to begin mass production in 2009.

The world's top automakers are all working on developing vehicle-use lithium-ion batteries to replace nickel-hydride ones currently used in gasoline-electric cars, since they can store more energy in lighter, smaller packs.

Japan's Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co and Mitsubishi Motors Corp have separate joint ventures with Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co, the NEC Corp group and GS Yuasa Corp, respectively, to mass-produce lithium-ion batteries.

"Our focus in future will be directed more strongly at making electrically powered automobiles alongside ones driven by more efficient combustion engines," Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn said in a statement.

"This cooperation is an important step for us."

Sanyo and Volkswagen are currently collaborating on the next generation of nickel-metal hydride systems. Sanyo has separately supplied batteries for hybrid vehicles made by Ford Motor Co and Honda Motor Co.

Production of the lithium-ion batteries will initially begin on a new manufacturing line to be set up at Sanyo's Tokushima factory in western Japan, it said in a statement.

It will look for a new location for further production starting in the business year from April 2010, to meet future demand of about 15,000 to 20,000 units a year, it said.

Sanyo also aims to develop and supply lithium-ion batteries for use in rechargeable plug-in hybrid vehicles starting in 2011.

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...26662320080528

UberNoob

mmm li-ion eneloop for cars