Thursday, July 2, 2009

Japanese electronics maker Hitachi is going to dramatically boost production of lithium-ion batteries for use in hybrid auto engines.

Hitachi currently makes 40,000 lithium-ion batteries a month, but plans to boost that to three million.

The company says it's going to be supplying batteries for hybrid GM cars next year. It's also reacting to the surging demand for gas-electric cars.

Toyota Motor Corp., which is the world's largest automaker, currently uses nickel-metal hydride batteries for its hybrids. But Toyota says it's going to use lithium-ion batteries for its plug-in models. They produce more energy, allowing hybrid engines to run more in the electric mode.