Japanese firms compete for dominance in li-on battery market

A three-way battle is heating up among Japan’s top electrical and heavy machinery makers to tap growing demand for lithium-ion (li-on) batteries for use in hybrid vehicles and other industrial machinery. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Toshiba Corp. and Hitachi Ltd. are competing to supply the batteries for application in infrastructure projects such as smart grids. Mitsubishi Heavy completed a demonstration plant at its Nagasaki shipyard, with an eye to start mass production of li-on batteries as early as Fall 2011. Mitsubishi Heavy wants to supply batteries for use in hybrid and all-electric vehicles. Toshiba will offer its li-on battery as part of its business solutions for creating environmentally friendly urban living conditions. Hitachi is planning over the next three years to standardize the specifications and dimensions of all batteries its group companies use, down to such basic units as cells and terminals. (November 26, 2010)