Hitachi announced newly developed lithium-ion battery with high power density

On May 18, 2009, Hitachi Ltd. said that it aims to acquire 30% of the U.S. automotive lithium-ion battery market within 2015 that would worth 100 billion yen in sales. Recently, the company announced to develop a new type of lithium-ion battery which has the highest power density of 4,500 W/kg. The battery’s power output is 1.7 times higher compared to the company’s mass-produce lithium-ion batteries. Hitachi Ltd. and Hitachi Vehicle Energy Ltd., which develops lithium-ion batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles, jointly developed this new lithium-ion battery. Sampling of the new battery will start in the fall. Industry Week reports:

To reduce internal resistance, the battery employs a new manganese cathode and an original Hitachi battery structure, such as thinner electrodes, power collection method and effective configurations.

Hitachi Company is one of the pioneers in developing lithium-ion battery systems. Till date, the company has delivered around 600,000 units to auto companies and railway companies. In 2000, Hitachi Group mass produced the world’s first safe, high-performance lithium-ion battery. The company is currently producing its second generation lithium-ion batteries with a power density of 2,600 W/kg that are being used in railways and cars. The company already completed building third generation lithium-ion batteries with a power density of 3000 W/kg and it will go into mass production in 2010.