In EV push, Honda joins hands with US-based company to develop batteries
Japanese carmaker Honda Motor has signed a joint development agreement with with Boston-based EV battery company SES Holdings to develop lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles. This joint development agreement with SES is part of the overall battery strategy of Honda.
Lithium-metal batteries could help Honda develop improved battery tech for its upcoming EVs as it pushes to expand its business globally. They are expected to achieve higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries, which are used in most battery-electric vehicles today.
Honda plans to buy a minor stake when SES Holdings list on the New York Stock Exchange via a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) transaction.
The decision is key for Honda as it is accelerating electrification of its vehicles on a global basis. The Japanese carmaker has been looking for next-generation batteries, including the all-solid-state batteries Honda is developing independently.
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Shinji Aoyama, Managing Executive Officer in Charge of Electrification, Honda Motor, said, “The battery is an essential component of EVs, and Honda has been concurrently looking into several options toward the realisation of high-capacity, safe and low-cost next-generation batteries. Recognizing the advanced technologies of SES, Honda signed a joint development agreement with SES with the aim to establish a good relationship with SES and expeditiously generate substantial achievements through our joint research activities. Honda will continue to establish collaborative relationships with companies which have advanced technologies, as needed, to offer highly-competitive and attractive EVs to our customers."
Earlier this year, Honda Motor (China) Investment, which is a wholly-owned Honda subsidiary in China, has announced a deal with Dongfeng to build a new facility in China to build electric cars. The new dedicated Honda EV production facility aims to help the Japanese carmaker to expand its EV lineup in the coming years.
Honda says that the upcoming facility will have a basic annual production capacity of 120,000 units. The facility will have a design which is highly efficient and smart. It will produce electric vehicles right from scratch.
Honda has already unveiled the E:Prototype SUV at the Shanghai Auto Show last year. It is also getting ready to launch the third-generation HR-V electric SUV soon as well. With both these models, Honda aims to make headway in a market where EV makers are jostling for supremacy.
