Bosch to partner with Mitsubishi, GS Yuasa on next gen lithium ion batteries

Yuasa battery

Operations due to begin early 2014

Bosch, one of the leading global automobile suppliers, is partnering with Mitsubishi Corporation and GS Yuasa International to produce next generation high performance lithium ion batteries.

GS Yuasa is a long-time lithium ion battery producer providing product to Mitsubishi, Honda and the new Detroit Electric. GS Yuasa was established in 2004 as a collaboration of GS Battery and Yuasa, both dating back 100 years or more. In fact, Japan Storage Battery, a predecessor company to GS Battery, imported into Japan two Detroit Electric cars in 1917, presumably providing the batteries for them at the time. Mitsubishi brings its worldwide marketing capabilities to the equation. Bosch brings process expertise and battery management system design and implementation to the collaboration. Bosch will hold 50 percent of the entity, with Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa splitting the other half equally.

The goal of the joint venture is to improve cell management (an important consideration when one considers how many cells make up a 24 kilowatt hour battery back), materials advancement, and to develop higher energy density. If these goals can be achieved the result will be a lithium ion battery with more power, less weight, and smaller dimensions. We can’t help but think that with the resources being poured into electric vehicle (EV) next generation battery development – by this venture and others – that we will see significant improvement in EV battery technology by the end of this decade.

 

 

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