Honda looks to China for EV battery development
Japanese manufacturer faces technological high-jump unless it buys in battery expertise from abroadThe demand for high-tech batteries to power the motoring industry's increasing assortment of upcoming electric vehicles is constantly growing. Honda the latest car company eyeing China's extensive resources and technological know-how to provide the capacity required for mainstream EV production.
In southern China this week to announce a production boost at its joint venture partner, Guanggi Honda, CEO Takanobu Ito says he is acutely aware that a breakthrough in EV technology must be discovered before zero-emission vehicles reach the mass-production levels necessary to ensure their on-going viability, a shift Ito predicts could take as long as two decades. But that doesn't mean Honda is prepared to "wait and see".
Following the recent announcement of a union between Japanese giant Toyota and US electric car manufacturer Tesla and the already firmly established Nissan-Renault alliance, Honda has found itself at risk of being left behind the technological eight-ball -- a shame considering the brand's evident support of sustainable mobility.
Honda currently relies upon a small collaboration with domestic partner GS Yuasa Corp (which also has an agreement with Mitsubishi) to supply lithium-ion batteries for its Civic Hybrid and Insight models (pictured), the limited association restricting the capacity Honda requires to match its aforementioned domestic rivals.
But with an exponential lead in battery technology proving increasingly impossible to ignore, a strategic alliance in China could be just the ticket to securing Honda the lead it requires to vie at a competitive level, and hedge against possible future developments that could catapult electric vehicles into the mainstream.
"If there is a suitable chance, we hope to work with China to (develop) batteries," said Ito.
Although the news is purely speculative at this stage, the visit to China could set the wheels in motion for Honda. Watch this space.
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