January 22, 1998 (TOKYO) -- Yuasa Acep Ltd., a producer and distributor of film-like lithium batteries, said it developed a polymer secondary battery for notebook PCs and will start mass production in the fall of 1998.

The company is a joint corporation founded by Yuasa Corp. and Hydro-Quebec of Canada. Yuasa is one of the largest battery manufacturers in Japan.

Yuasa Acep will start sample deliveries this April.

The secondary battery is a package of the base cells that are A- 5-sized and 1.2mm thick. The voltage of the base cell is 3.6V and its capacity is 1750 mAh.

"There's no company able to mass produce this type of polymer battery that is so thin over such a large area," said representative director Katsuji Ashida. The company succeeded in designing the lithium-ion secondary battery by changing from electrolytic solution to polymer electrolyte.

A U.S. venture company already has started mass production of a polymer battery.

(Nikkei Microdevices)