German car parts giant Robert Bosch GmbH is to set up a joint venture with two Japanese companies to develop lithium-ion batteries to double the range of electric vehicles, the companies said Thursday.
The research and development project with Japan’s GS Yuasa Corp and Mitsubishi Corp would start operations in Stuttgart in early 2014.
The plan is to boost the capacity of lithium-ion batteries to enable electric vehicles to travel about 400 km per charge from the current range of 180 to 240 km, while reducing weight and volume, said Yasushi Yamamoto, a spokesman for GS Yuasa.
Production was expected to start in 2018, Yamamoto said.
“These batteries are fundamental for future forms of mobility, such as plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicles,” the three companies said in a joint statement.
Bosch will contribute the quality management and development of control systems, GS Yuasa will be responsible for manufacturing the battery, and Mitsubishi will provide the marketing, they said.
Bosch will hold a 50-per-cent stake in the venture while GS Yuasa and Mitsubishi will each own 25 per cent.