Lithium Energy Japan was officially established on Wednesday, seven months after GS Yuasa Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation began collaboration to set up a joint venture company to manufacture large capacity and high performance lithium-ion batteries.
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The proliferation of large lithium-ion batteries is expected to greatly increase as automakers seek new storage units for hybrid, fuel cell and full electric vehicles.
GS Yuasa began commercialisation of these batteries in the mid-to-late 1990s but, in order to more widely apply them in automotive and industrial fields, performance and quality improvements are needed and manufacturing costs will also need to be greatly reduced through mass-production, the collaborators said.
GS Yuasa possesses advanced technologies in large lithium-ion batteries and is striving to broaden their applications. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Corporation intends to enter the battery manufacturing business and aims to create other related businesses as well. Finally, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is working to promote greater use of electric vehicles.
Through their mutual interests, the three companies came together to invest in this new joint venture.
Their intent, they said on Wednesday, is to apply their comprehensive strengths in vertical value chains, covering natural resources, materials, development, manufacturing, sales, and the identification of new applications.
Lithium Energy Japan aims to take a leading role in global industry and steadily begin mass production of large lithium-ion batteries.
