Toshiba to develop batteries for automakers

Toshiba announced it would supply batteries for Honda’s electric motorcycles and electric cars to an unspecified automaker.

The demand for electronics companies to supply automakers battery systems for electronic and hybrid cars is increasing rapidly.

It is expected the current output of rechargeable batteries will increase five-fold over the next five years. The news comes on the back of recent announcements by Sanyo and Panasonic, with Suzuki teaming up with Sanyo to work on the new Suzuki Swift Plug-In Hybrid while Panasonic Corp will work on a new joint venture with Toyota.

In response to increasing demand, Toshiba has also announced it will build a new plant in northern Japan, that will be used to produce their new Super Charge ion Battery from 2011.

Toshiba anticipates that with a SCiB production output of one million by 2012, sales for the SCiB will be US$2.2 billion by 2015-2016.

Source: Automotive News, May 19th, 2010