Hitachi to multiply lithium battery production by a factor of 70!
By fall 2010, Hitachi plans increase its production capacity for lithium ion batteries by 600 percent in the first phase of a major expansion. Hitachi will be supplying the batteries for General Motor's second-generation mild hybrid system that debuts late next year for 2011 model year vehicles. GM has placed an order for enough cells to support 100,000 hybrid vehicles a year. Beyond that, Hitachi is planning to ramp up to build cells for 700,000 hybrids a year by 2015, a 70-fold increase from current levels. The expansion and new production will occur at Hitachi Vehicle Energy Ltd's Tokai factory in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan. So far most of Hitachi's lithium ion production has been for commercial vehicle applications and the GM batteries will be the first light duty hybrid.
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
guyledouche 4:02PM (7/02/2009)
GREAT NEWS!!!
Just out of curiosity, Is anyone still using Panasonic as a vendor for hybrid or pure BEV batteries? I know they supplied the NiMh batts that were in the famed Toyota RAV-4 EV back in the 90's. Do they even still make EV batteries?
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paulwesterberg 4:22PM (7/02/2009)
Not since chevron gained control of the patents.
Snoopy 1:34AM (7/03/2009)
Toyota is still using Panasonic for Prius batteries, but those are different from the units used in the RAV4 EVs. As far as the Texaco turned Chevron turned Cobasys issue, that company holds the patents and hasn't been forced to license the technology yet. That whole lawsuit against Toyota kind of spoiled things for everyone.
Sam Abuelsamid 10:05AM (7/03/2009)
Panasonic EV Energy Co supplies all of Toyota's hybrid batteries. Panasonic EV Energy is a joint venture of Panasonic and toyota. They also supply the batteries used by General Motors for its two-mode hybrids. Those same batteries were also supplied to Chrysler while it was building the Durango/Aspen hybrid last year.
Nick P. 4:21PM (7/02/2009)
I remember reading that Panasonic had lost the license required to continue producing these batteries. Otherwise, they would have been able to offer them to other manufacturers.
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David Martin 5:49PM (7/02/2009)
Toyota use Panasonic.
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Bill 7:20PM (7/02/2009)
Once CARB backed off on the "pure ZEV" requirement no major auto manufacturer wanted to produce a pure EV anymore.
Simply no demand for RAV4-EV size batteries.
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Snoopy 1:37AM (7/03/2009)
All in all, this sounds like a great idea. I just hope they're planning on doing more research for power output and storage.
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SkiD666 9:44AM (7/03/2009)
Goodbye BAS, hello BAS+
I guess it was premature to morn the death of hybrids at GM.
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