Honda to form joint venture with GS Yuasa for lithium batteries
Honda has announced that it is following its Japanese compatriots by forming a joint venture to develop and build lithium ion batteries. Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi already have such joint agreements. Honda will be the second automaker to hook up with GS Yuasa. Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa established a JV in 2007 to produce batteries for the iMiEV that will launch in 2009. Honda will own 49 percent of the venture with the rest being held by the battery maker. The only lithium ion application that Honda has shown so far is the fuel-cell powered FCX Clarity. Interestingly, Honda has been relatively disdainful of the whole idea of plug-in vehicles in the near- to mid-term. Instead, the Honda announcement indicates that the lithium batteries will be used in hybrid rather than electric vehicles. The companies will collaborate on R&D, manufacturing and sales of the new batteries.
[Source: Honda]
GS Yuasa and Honda Reach Basic Agreement to Establish Joint Venture Company for Manufacturing, Sales and Research & Development of Lithium-ion Batteries
TOKYO, Japan, December 17, 2008–GS Yuasa Corporation and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that they have reached a basic agreement to establish a joint venture company which will manufacture, sell and conduct R&D for high-performance lithium-ion batteries for applications with a central focus on hybrid vehicles. The two companies will now begin concrete discussions with an aim to establish the new company sometime around spring 2009.
It is planned that the ratio of capital investment will be 51% by GS Yuasa and 49% by Honda. The headquarters of the new company is planned to be located in Minami-ku, Kyoto, and the factory is planned to be established within the property of GS Yuasa's Osadano operation in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto.
Hybrid vehicles are expected to move into the mass-market stage as an effective environmentally-responsible technology from the standpoint of reducing CO2 emissions. The lithium-ion battery offers energy density and power density higher than the nickel-metal-hydride battery, and demand for lithium-ion batteries is therefore expected to grow in the future as the battery of choice for hybrid vehicles. GS Yuasa and Honda determined that development of smaller and lighter lithium-ion batteries with further improved performance should be achieved by combining the technological strengths and know-how of The two companies in the area of manufacturing, sales, and R&D of lithium-ion batteries. Through the development of such batteries, the two companies can demonstrate the maximum synergy effect in the effort to promote the greater market penetration of hybrid vehicles.
The new company will manufacture batteries based on EH6, the lithium-ion battery developed by GS Yuasa. The performance most suitable for next-generation hybrid vehicles will be achieved through a review of certain elements such as the structure and electrode materials.
[ About the new joint venture company ]
| 1. Company name | Yet to be determined |
| 2. Establishment | Scheduled for sometime around spring 2009 |
| 3. Headquarters(plan) | 1, Inobanba-cho, Nishinosho, Kisshoin, Minami-ku, Kyoto (within the Kyoto head office of GS Yuasa) |
| 4. Factory location (plan) | 1-37, Osadano-cho, Fukuchiyama-shi, Kyoto (within the GS Yuasa Osadano operation) |
| 5. Capital | Approximately 15 billion yen |
| 6. Capital ratio (plan) | 51% GS Yuasa Corporation, 49% Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
| 7. Description of business | Manufacturing, sales and R&D of lithium-ion batteries |
[ About GS Yuasa Corporation ]
| 1. Company name | GS Yuasa Corporation |
| 2. Establishment | April 1, 2004 |
| 3. Headquarters | 1, Inobanba-cho, Nishinosho, Kisshoin, Minami-ku, Kyoto |
| 4. President | Makoto Yoda |
| 5. Capital | 16.5 billion yen (as of September 30, 2008) |
| 6. Description of business | Manufacturing and sales of batteries, power supply systems, lighting equipment and other batteries and electric equipment |
| 7. Employment | Consolidated: 12,487 Unconsolidated: 235 (as of September 30, 2008) |
[ About Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ]
| 1. Company name | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
| 2. Establishment | September 24, 1948 |
| 3. Headquarters | 1-1, 2-chome, Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| 4. President & CEO | Takeo Fukui |
| 5. Capital | 86 billion yen (as of September 30, 2008) |
| 6. Description of business | Manufacturing and sales of motorcycles, automobiles, power products |
| 7. Employment | Consolidated: 185,095 Unconsolidated: 27,275 (as of September 30, 2008) |
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gorr 10:50AM (12/18/2008)
These litium-ion batteries in honda car like the fcx clarity don't give power to the car, it's only the hydrogen fuelcell that give power, the battery just act as a buffer to smouth out the power delivery and to add some regenerative breaking because the electric motors fitted to the 4 wheels can give electric charge when breaking. So it's sure that it cannot be plug-in at night, only hydrogen is needed as a power source. No major manufacturer have a battery-car to offer to customers and they even didn't have a demo to show contrary to fuelcell which every major manufacturers have demos for years and years. Maybe it's the u.s.a goverment and big-oil and central banks that impede the sale of hydrogen because it's obvious to see that all major manufacturers are ready to offer this on the market . And the price of half a million dollar each for a fuelcell is just a lie representing the price paid to killers hired by somebody if some car manufacturer employee put something on the market.
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mmstowes 11:10AM (12/18/2008)
So you know, many oil companies are or will be investing in hydrogen. If there's a way for them to make ridiculous amounts of money, they'll invest in it.
gorr 11:23AM (12/18/2008)
@ mmstowes
They won't invest in hydrogen because it can be made for free with water inside the car. Manufacturers have made half the invention by placing unnescessary hydrogen compressed fuel tank, so they lie themself too to customers, probally to please the goverments. Customers on the other hands have put an hold to any car expences and all the car manufacturers are near bankrupcy because of that betrayal of their own customers. The question from the start of the car industry is hydrogen vs petrol and to date petrol have 100% market share because hydrogen is the prayer of jesus and nobody want to be here for centuries. they just want one life made of painful skin pleasure, like 99% of people want.
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jpm 1:02PM (12/18/2008)
Gorr,
Was the moon landing fake too?
Perry 12:50AM (12/19/2008)
Gorr
The honda only has one electric motor up front.
p.s. I doubt anyone takes the time to read your long boring posts.
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Perry 12:53AM (12/19/2008)
Gorr
You have the grammer of a 3rd grader.
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Christos Dimou 8:25AM (12/21/2008)
This is for Honda the first step to move from Nickel to Lithium in its battery packs. The Civic, Insight and the upcoming, Jazz and CR-Z will definitely benefit from this move. Lithium-ion batteries will boost up mpg performance by 5-10% (at the very least). The next generation IMA is expected to deliver 50% more power than the present one and these motors need juice to run. In addition lithium-ion batteries weight less (for the same rating in KWh).
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