NEC and Fuji Heavy Industries have agreed to continue their partnership in development and manufacturing areas after the dissolution of the joint venture. NEC Lamilion Energy will maintain business relations with Fuji Heavy Industries regarding the development and production of rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid automobiles, which includes its supply of products to Fuji Heavy Industries.

Since its founding in 2002, NEC Lamilion Energy has focused on the planning and development of rechargeable batteries combining NEC’s laminate-type manganese lithium-ion cell technology and Fuji Heavy Industries’ battery pack technology.

The company has developed a long-life battery (10 years/150,000 miles) based on high-power cells (2,700W/kg at 25º C, SOC 50%, 10 sec), which it has supplied to more than 20 domestic and international automobile/auto parts manufacturers for industry evaluation. It has also developed vehicle integration technology—the initial goal of the JV.

NEC Lamilion Energy will collaborate with NEC Tokin in the fields of fundamental battery material technology research and mass production, with the intention of completing mass production technology that has already been developed and is currently being employed in a test production line at NEC Tokin Toyama Plant. The restructuring is also aimed at expansion of NEC Lamilion Energy’s strength in high-power and long-life battery technology to other industrial fields.