Honda & Mitsubishi launch development initiative
The two Japanese companies Honda and the Mitsubishi Corporation want to jointly develop new e-mobility business fields. As part of their declaration of intent, the companies are planning to cooperate in the areas of intelligent charging and vehicle-to-grid on the one hand, and in the area of batteries and their condition monitoring on the other, up to and including the connection use of batteries of new small electric cars from Honda as stationary storage units.
In terms of technical organisation, the two companies plan to split their efforts into two areas: ‘Battery Lifetime Management Business’ and the ‘Smart-charging and V2G Energy Management Business’.
For the battery lifetime management business, the aim is to maximize the value of the batteries in Honda mini-EV models, that are scheduled to go on sale in Japan next year. “By employing a sophisticated battery-monitoring system, the new business would manage and maximize the value of each battery throughout its lifetime shifting from powering EVs to use as stationary energy storage.”
The second business unit would aim to “help EV users to optimize their electricity costs by offering access to smart-charging, V2G services and green (renewable) power which leverages advanced control technologies for the energy management system.”
“Preparing for the era of full-fledged popularization of EVs, Honda will not only sell EVs, but take a proactive approach to energy management, where EV batteries will be utilized as an energy source, and we are also focusing on resource circulation, including the reuse and repurposing of EV batteries, which contain various rare resources,” said Toshihiro Mibe, Global CEO of Honda, adding: “Starting with this initiative with MC in the area of mini-EVs in Japan, Honda will strive to maximize the value we offer to our customers and build a foundation for sustainable business from a long-term perspective, while working with a variety of partners and accommodating the unique market characteristics of each region.”
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