TOKYO--(Business Wire)--
Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT)(TOKYO:6501)(hereinafter Hitachi) today announced that
Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd. which develops and manufactures
lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications, such as hybrid electric
vehicles, have developed a lithium-ion battery having the world's highest power
density of 4,500 W/kg, 1.7 times the output of the company's mass-produced,
automotive lithium-ion batteries. Sampling of the new battery by domestic and
overseas car manufacturers will start in the fall.
To reduce internal resistance, the battery employs a new manganese cathode and
an original Hitachi battery structure, in such as thinner electrodes, power
collection method and effective configurations to achieve the world's highest
output.
In recent years, lithium-ion batteries have been used for many consumer product
applications, including mobile telephones, notebook PCs and digital cameras. For
the same energy density, a lithium-ion battery has about half the volume and
weight of a nickel hydrogen battery, and about one-third the volume and weight
of a lead battery. This makes the lithium-ion battery a small, light,
high-energy-density secondary battery that is attracting attention for its
applicability to hybrid and electric vehicles.
In 2000, the Hitachi Group used its extensive technological and manufacturing
capabilities in fields ranging from materials to battery control systems, to
develop and mass-produce the world's first safe, high-performance,
long-operating-life lithium-ion battery for automotive applications.
A second-generation lithium-ion battery with an power density of 2,600 W/kg that
currently is being delivered for automotive and railway applications, is the
world's only mass-produced lithium-ion battery for on-board applications. Up to
this point, a total of some 600,000 cells have been delivered, mainly to car
manufacturers and railway companies.
Moreover, development of a third-generation lithium-ion battery having an even
higher power density (3,000 W/kg) has already been completed, and will go into
mass-production in 2010, with deliveries scheduled to begin the same year.
The battery set to start sampling this fall has been developed as a
fourth-generation lithium-ion battery that is even smaller and lighter yet able
to provide the world's highest output. The high reliability of the new battery,
in terms of mass-production and quality, is the culmination of manufacturing
technology that Hitachi has built up in the course of its extensive market
achievements, and through the feedback from its customers.
Going forward, in addition to this lineup of stand-alone battery cell products,
Hitachi will meet customer needs by providing optimal battery system solutions
that include control systems.
In line with its long-term "Environmental Vision 2025"*2 plan to combat global
warming, the Hitachi Group is using the expansion of its systems business,
starting with its battery operations, to make a contribution to the future of
the global environment, and to strengthen its social innovation business.
The new battery will be on display at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2009
held at PACIFICO Yokohama from May 20 to May 22.
*1: Lithium-ion battery for on-board applications, as of May 2009.
*2: Announced December 20, 2007 in the press release entitled Hitachi Develops
the Long-term Plan "Environmental Vision 2025" to Combat Global Warming.
Outline of Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
Company Name : Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
Representative : Hidetaka Kawamoto
Common Stock : 75,000 million yen
(Hitachi, Ltd. 65.3%, Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd. 24.7%, Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. 10.0%)
Established : June 25, 2004
Principal Office : 1410, Inada Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
Business : Marketing, development and manufacture of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles, etc.
About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd.(NYSE:HIT)(TOKYO:6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading
global electronics company with approximately 400,000 employees worldwide.
Fiscal 2008 (ended March 31, 2009) consolidated revenues totaled 10,000 billion
yen ($102.0 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and
services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices,
power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials, logistics and
financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's
website at http://www.hitachi.com.
Hitachi, Ltd.
Hajime Kito, +81-3-5208-9325 (Japan)
hajime.kito.qy@hitachi.com
or
Hitachi America, Ltd.
Dash Hisanaga, +1-914-333-2987 (U.S.)
tadashi.hisanaga@hal.hitachi.com
Copyright Business Wire 2009
