Hitachi to Boost Output of Lithium-Ion Battery for Hybrids

By shifting to mass production at an early time, the major Japanese electronics maker aims for lithium-ion battery sales of 100 billion yen in the year to March 2016, informed sources said. Hitachi’s plan reflects intensifying moves by automakers and electronics makers to develop and produce batteries for gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, which are growing in popularity, the sources said. Lithium-ion battery is regarded as a promising candidate for the next-generation power source for hybrid vehicles, because it is smaller and has greater capacity than conventional nickel hydride battery. Hitachi currently produces 40,000 lithium-ion batteries monthly at its facility in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, mainly for commercial vehicles. Starting autumn next year, the company is slated to supply General Motors Corp. of the United States with lithium-ion batteries for 100,000 hybrid vehicles. For the deal, Hitachi plans to increase its production capacity to 300,000 units a month in October this year. Anticipating growth in orders from other automakers, Hitachi plans to boost its production capacity further substantially, the sources said. (July 2, 2009)