The joint venture between Mitsubishi Motors and GS Yuasa Corporation called Lithium Energy Japan plans to build an additional battery factory to support the recently announced increase in production of Mitsubishi's i MiEV.
The new lithium-ion factory will be built in Kyoto, Japan at a cost of $21 to $32 million dollars. According to the company, the new factory will have the ability to produce batteries for up to 15,000 vehicles. Combined with GS Yuasa's other plants in Kyoto and in Kusatsu, total battery output should reach about 27,000 packs per year.
The new Lithium Energy Japan plant in Kyoto is scheduled to be completed by fall of 2010.
The additional factory is required in order to meet Mitsubishi's demand for the i MiEV. Initially, the company planned to make only a few thousand units per year, but now are expecting to produce up to 20,000 i MiEVs by 2011.
Source: Nikkei Newspaper Japan
