GS Yuasa to Lift Lithium-Ion Cell Production 10-Fold

Submitted by orville on March 1, 2010
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GS Yuasa Corp. plans to boost annual production of lithium-ion batteries 10-fold over two years to meet demand for alternative-fuel vehicles.

Kyoto, western Japan-based GS Yuasa aims to raise production of battery cells to equip 9,000 vehicles in the year ending March 2011 from 2,000 this fiscal year and raise it to about 20,000 the following year, President Makoto Yoda said in a Feb. 26 interview.

The company, which has partnerships with Honda Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. to make lithium-ion power cells for electric and hybrid vehicles, competes against Osaka-based Sanyo Electric Corp. to win automakers as clients. Mitsubishi Motors raised its sales target for the i-MiEV electric car to 9,000 units from 8,500 for next fiscal year, President Osamu Masuko told reporters Feb. 17.

For further information: BusinessWeek