Nissan battery joint venture to begin operations in 2009

Japans Nissan Motor, NEC Corp. and NEC Tokin have announced that their joint venture Automotive Energy Supply Corp. is set to begin commercial production of lithium-ion secondary batteries for automotive applications. The new plant is expected to begin operating in the spring of 2009, at a cost of ¥12 billion (US$110.9 million) over the first three years. It will start with an output capacity of 13,000 units per year of lithium-ion batteries, equivalent to about 1.6 million cells, initially for use in small-sized electrical forklifts. The aim is to expand adoption of the batteries to raise its output to 65,000 units per year in 2011. In addition, NEC Tokin will invest ¥11 billion (US$101.67 million) to set up a plant for battery electrodes at NEC’s Sagamihara plant. Nissan is positioning its zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs, as an engine for future business growth in its new medium-term business plan and plans to launch electric vehicles (EVs), in the Japanese and U.S. markets in 2010. (May 29, 2008)