Matsushita to triple capacity with new lithium ion battery plant
The Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., better known to us in the west under the Panasonic brand, has "informally decided" to spend about $951 million (100 billion yen) constructing what would be one of the world's biggest li-ion battery factories. This would triple the company's current capacity with its three existing plants, place it ahead of Sony and very close to the worlds number one, Sanyo. The three companies together currently control about 70 percent of the consumer electronics li-ion market.
The additional 50 million units a month capacity would help the company meet surging demand and be used in laptops, cell phones, and, of course, automobiles. They have been studying what it would take to make li-ion for automotive applications via their joint venture with Toyota that goes by the catchy moniker of Panasonic EV Energy. They expect the new plant to be able to ship product as soon as two years from now.
[Source: Yomiuri Online / Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SearingLight 3:48PM (7/20/2008)
I do believe that you mean "$951 million". As "$951 billion" would range into the trillions in terms of Yen.
(When converting Yen to $, just subtract two zeroes for an approximate answer).
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Ignatius 3:58PM (7/20/2008)
Current exchange rate is about $1 for 106 yen.
Domenick Yoney 1:01AM (7/21/2008)
Thank you. I re-read these many times before I finish but I still slip up sometimes. Thanks for the heads up.
philmcneal 4:46PM (7/20/2008)
hnajhahaha good catch there, almost got me for a second if it was 951 billion oh man transportation pollution would be solved!!
too good to be true, good eyes who read this blog.
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Anth 10:46PM (7/20/2008)
How much is 50M units/mo in terms of Wh?
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Domenick Yoney 1:10AM (7/21/2008)
I couldn't say for sure but my rough guesstimate would be in the neighborhood of 40,000 Wh/mo. The units are in several different formats and for many different applications. How much of that capacity will end up under the hood of a Toyota, if that's what you are trying to deduce, would be hard to say.
aman 2:32PM (9/19/2008)
i like matsushita and plz send me e-mail adders for matsushita compant
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