xcel
05-03-2009, 12:13 AM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Japanese_Flag_30x22.jpg The plants expansion plans are already in place to make more than just a few hundred thousand mild hybrid Li-Ion packs :) (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=205183)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Honda_FCX_Clarity.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – May 2, 2009
2009 Honda Clarity – Li-Ion equipped (buffered) and the most technologically advanced FCV available anywhere awaiting the H2 revolution... That may never come.
Kyoto, Japan -- Blue Energy, the joint venture company between GS Yuasa and Honda for the manufacture, sales and R&D of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles, held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of its Osadano Plant in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by approximately 100 Japanese dignitaries and guests, including Keiji Yamada, the governor of Kyoto prefecture and Masaji Matsuyama, the mayor of Fukuchiyama city, as well as Makoto Yoda, president and CEO of GS Yuasa Corporation, Takeo Fukui, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and Masahiko Ositani, president and CEO of Blue Energy Co., Ltd.
What was not mentioned is the sea change occurring within Honda R&D regarding future PHEV and BEV Li-Ion battery production. Although Honda is attempting to free itself from the Toyota/Panasonic and now Sanyo partnership’s NiMH battery supply, there is more to the new Li-Ion plant than simply a closely held Li-Ion battery supply base.
Speaking at the SAE 2009 World Congress last week, Kenji Nakano, Honda’s R&D Chief Engineer acknowledged Honda now sees the world’s longer term transportation needs met by advanced full HEVs, PHEVs and BEVs rather than Honda’s current mild HEV and FCV vision.
“Hybrids have stayed in the limelight longer than we had expected," said Mr. Nakano. "Instead of being a bridge technology, hybrids are expected to remain in the mainstream for quite some time.”
That quote in and of itself may explain why the Blue Energy Li-Ion Plant is not just going to supply the needs of the current generation IMA based Insight and Civic mild Hybrid’s but future Honda automobiles with a Charge Depleting design in the form of PHEVs and BEVs.
Although better late than never, Honda has some catching up to do where full HEVs and PHEVs are concerned. Presumably, an all-new PHEV or full BEV platform is being hastily developed to help move Honda back to the forefront of mainstream sustainable transportation vs. the highly advanced and class leading FCV technology in the Clarity that appears to be headed into oblivion.
The new Li-Ion production facility is scheduled to begin production sometime around the fall 2010.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Honda_FCX_Clarity.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – May 2, 2009
2009 Honda Clarity – Li-Ion equipped (buffered) and the most technologically advanced FCV available anywhere awaiting the H2 revolution... That may never come.
Kyoto, Japan -- Blue Energy, the joint venture company between GS Yuasa and Honda for the manufacture, sales and R&D of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles, held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of its Osadano Plant in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by approximately 100 Japanese dignitaries and guests, including Keiji Yamada, the governor of Kyoto prefecture and Masaji Matsuyama, the mayor of Fukuchiyama city, as well as Makoto Yoda, president and CEO of GS Yuasa Corporation, Takeo Fukui, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and Masahiko Ositani, president and CEO of Blue Energy Co., Ltd.
What was not mentioned is the sea change occurring within Honda R&D regarding future PHEV and BEV Li-Ion battery production. Although Honda is attempting to free itself from the Toyota/Panasonic and now Sanyo partnership’s NiMH battery supply, there is more to the new Li-Ion plant than simply a closely held Li-Ion battery supply base.
Speaking at the SAE 2009 World Congress last week, Kenji Nakano, Honda’s R&D Chief Engineer acknowledged Honda now sees the world’s longer term transportation needs met by advanced full HEVs, PHEVs and BEVs rather than Honda’s current mild HEV and FCV vision.
“Hybrids have stayed in the limelight longer than we had expected," said Mr. Nakano. "Instead of being a bridge technology, hybrids are expected to remain in the mainstream for quite some time.”
That quote in and of itself may explain why the Blue Energy Li-Ion Plant is not just going to supply the needs of the current generation IMA based Insight and Civic mild Hybrid’s but future Honda automobiles with a Charge Depleting design in the form of PHEVs and BEVs.
Although better late than never, Honda has some catching up to do where full HEVs and PHEVs are concerned. Presumably, an all-new PHEV or full BEV platform is being hastily developed to help move Honda back to the forefront of mainstream sustainable transportation vs. the highly advanced and class leading FCV technology in the Clarity that appears to be headed into oblivion.
The new Li-Ion production facility is scheduled to begin production sometime around the fall 2010.