Japanese consortium to develop next-gen electric battery

Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) announced in June the outline of a project to develop next-generation batteries for use in hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as in homes. The project, a tie-up between the Japanese government, industry and the academe, will receive ¥21 billion (US$218.12 million) in government funding over seven years. Its goals include developing a lithium ion battery that can hold three times as much power per kilogram as existing lithium ion batteries. The project also plans to work toward developing in 2020 or later a new type of battery that will enable electric vehicles to travel 500 kilometers (km) without recharging. Technologies stemming from these efforts are expected to develop batteries for use in households for storing power generated from solar cells and wind turbines. Participants include 12 companies, among them Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Panasonic Corp., Sanyo Electric Co. and GS Yuasa Corp, and 10 academic organizations including Kyoto University, Waseda University, Tohoku University and research institutes. (June 11, 2009)