Toshiba Working with Mitsubishi on Electric Car Batteries

Electric Car News | admin | July 2, 2010 at 11:01 am

Japanese electronics giant Toshiba Corp. said Friday is working jointly with Mitsubishi to develop lithium-ion battery system for use in automaker’s electric cars.

Toshiba has developed a fast-charging long life lithium-ion battery called SCiB (Super Charge ion Battery), which it plans to adapt for electric cars.

The use of new oxide-based materials in the current SCiB cells results in capacity loss after 3000 charge-discharge cycles of less than 10%; SCiB cells achieve more than 6000 charge-discharge cycles. The SCiB can recharge up to 90 percent of full capacity in less than five minutes.

Presently, batteries for Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV electric cars are being supplied by Lithium Energy Japan, which is a joint venture between Mitsubishi Motors, battery maker GS Yuasa Corp., and trading house Mitsubishi Corp.

Toshiba, meanwhile, is also cooperating with Volkswagen to develop automaker’s next-generation electric cars.