GS Yuasa International Ltd. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 6674; “GS Yuasa”) today announced that it has decided to expand production capacity for lithium-ion batteries used in hybrid vehicles, demand for which is expected to increase from 2021.
In addition to strengthening existing production lines at GS Yuasa subsidiary Blue Energy Co., Ltd. (President: Kenji Kohno; Head Office: Kyoto; “Blue Energy”), the plan is to construct a second plant on the same site as the current Blue Energy plant to at least double current production capacity by fiscal 2023. The new plant is scheduled to come on line in fiscal 2022.
The shift to electric-powered vehicles is being promoted as an initiative to reduce the burden on the environment. Hybrid vehicles offer an excellent balance between environmental performance and price, and production is expected to increase particularly among automakers in Japan, and also in Europe, North America, and China.
GS Yuasa established Blue Energy in 2009 as a joint venture tasked with the development, production and sale of high-performance lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles. To date, Blue Energy has provided a steady supply of batteries installed in more than one million hybrids. This impressive track record and Blue Energy’s advanced technological capabilities are contributing to the popularization of environment-friendly vehicles.
Overview of Blue Energy and its new plant
| 1．Company name | Blue Energy Co., Ltd. | |
|---|---|---|
| 2．Established | April 1, 2009 | |
| 3．Location (Head office) (Plant) | 1, Inobanba-cho, Nishinosho, Kisshoin, Minami-ku, Kyoto 1-37, Osadano-cho, Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto (on the grounds of GS Yuasa’s Osadano plant) | |
| 4．Capital | 7.5 billion yen | |
| 5．Shareholders and shareholding ratio | GS Yuasa International Ltd. 51% Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 49% | |
| 6．Business | Manufacture, sale, research and development of high-performance lithium-ion batteries | |
| 7．New plant | Site size | About 8,600㎡ |
| Total floor space | About 30,000㎡ | |
| 8．Production capacity (annual) | Current: Approx. 20 million cells FY2023: Approx. 50 million cells (planned) | |
■Rendering of the new plant
