Honda, GS Yuasa join forces to create batteries for future EVs

Honda and GS Yuasa announces future collaboration on making Li-ion batteries

The future of transportation is electric-powered. However, range is still the biggest challenge in making these electric vehicles (EVs), e-bikes included, practical for everyday use.

To solve that and other challenges to make EV travel practical and sustainable, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) and GS Yuasa International Ltd. (GS Yuasa) today announced that they have reached a basic agreement toward collaboration for a high-capacity, high-output lithium-ion battery. The two companies will discuss specifics with the goal of establishing a joint venture company by the end of 2023.

In order to address the rapidly growing demand for batteries, the two companies reached this agreement to work toward the joint research and development of lithium-ion batteries and battery production methods that will be highly competitive in the global market, as well as the establishment of a supply chain for key raw materials and a highly-efficient battery production system.

“Honda is striving to realize carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities Honda is involved in by 2050. Honda and GS Yuasa have already been working together on lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and this new collaboration will further accelerate Honda’s electrification strategies toward the achievement of our carbon neutrality goal,” says Toshihiro Mibe, Director and President, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Based on the agreement, the two companies will work toward the establishment of a joint venture company by discussing a broad scope of collaborations including R&D of a high-capacity, high-output lithium-ion battery primarily for EV use, and the required production methods; establishment and management of intellectual properties including patents related to the joint research and development; planning for products that utilize technologies resulting from the joint R&D, and planning for the required sales channels.

Finally, the agreement also discusses the designing of an efficient production operation including the supply chain for key raw materials needed for the production of Li-ion batteries.

For now, much of the details are still kept in the backroom, but since Honda is one of the core companies of the Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium, which now has grown from 4 to 21 companies, it is highly possible that the swappable Li-ion batteries that will be used could be a product of this Honda-GS Yuasa collaboration.