Automotive Energy Supply Begins Trial Production Of Li-ion Batteries For Nissan Electric Vehicles

Nissan Motor, NEC and its subsidiary NEC Tokin announced that their joint-venture company, Automotive Energy Supply Corp., have begun trial production of lithium-ion batteries for a wide range of automotive applications at its factory in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

With start-up capacity at 13,000 units per year, Automotive Energy will gradually increase battery production to 65,000 units a year by 2010. The company will manufacture the batteries for use in Nissan electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles to be introduced in Japan and the United States in 2010.

The batteries employ a compact module comprised of laminated-type cells that contribute to more efficient packaging. The use of manganese-type electrode reportedly offers thermal stability and the laminated structure improves cooling.

Automotive Energy Supply intends to mass produce and eventually market its batteries to other interested automakers.