(Nikkei BP Group)
(No.1 High-Tech News Site in Japanese)
|
|
| Japan Storage Battery to Make Lithium-ion Batteries for Cars
|
|
February 4, 1999 (TOKYO) -- Japan Storage Battery Co., Ltd. said that
it developed a lithium-ion secondary battery for hybrid cars that use
gasoline-powered combustion engines assisted by electric motors.
|
It will start mass producing the battery from the second half of 2000.
Although hybrid cars are already available, only nickel-metal hydride
(NiMH) secondary batteries are used to power such cars. A lithium-ion
secondary battery can reduce the hybrid car battery size and weight
because it features an energy density higher than that of NiMH secondary
batteries.
Sony Corp. and other companies also are developing lithium-ion secondary
batteries for hybrid cars, but Japan Storage Battery is the first company
to announce it will produce the battery.
The company plans to sell the new batteries to Japanese and overseas
car makers. It will aim to produce enough batteries for 5,000 hybrid
cars a month.
Japan Storage Battery said the price can be reduced to a level equivalent
to that of current NiMH secondary batteries, owing mainly to cost-reduction
efforts. The battery measures 26mm by 61.5mm by 132.5mm.
Related stories:
� Toyota, Mitsubishi Plan to Market Hybrid Car Model
� Nissan, Others to Develop Intelligent Transport System
� Honda Unveils Intelligent Traffic Systems
(Nikkei
Electronics)
<Visit News Center for more Asian news.>
|
|
|
