Envision AESC is reportedly set to begin mass producing EV batteries that will give vehicles a driving range of at least 1,000 km sometime in 2024, the Nikkei reports. The company, owned by Chinese renewable energy company Envision Group, is targeting to double the number of battery cells in each car, and will pack the cells closely together to improve storage efficiency, which will shorten the charging time needed by around 30% to under 20 minutes.
While increasing the number of battery cells will make vehicles heavier, this will be offset by the increased driving range. The company is also hoping to increase production capacity by tenfold over existing levels by the end of this decade.
The battery maker will start building a new plant in Ibaraki Prefecture near Tokyo, that will begin production in 2024. The plant will include a production line using energy from solar panels within the premises that will cut its carbon dioxide emissions to zero.
Automotive Energy Supply Corp (AESC) was previously owned by Nissan, but the Japanese automaker sold off a majority stake to Envision in 2019. Envision Group has an 80% stake in Envision AESC, with Nissan owning the remaining 20%. The company also took over Nissan’s battery assets in Smyrna, Tennessee and in Sunderland, England, as well as NEC Energy Devices, which produces battery electrodes.
The company primarily supplies its batteries to Nissan for its Leaf EV, with around 90% of its production shipped to Nissan. However, the battery maker hopes to add other Japanese, Chinese, and European automakers to its client list, and is looking to have other customers making up half of its transactions by 2025, CEO Shoichi Matsumoto told the Japanese publication.
Down the line, Envision is also aiming to market its all-solid-state battery, and will build new plants in Japan, China, the UK, France and the US by the end of the decade and expand production capacity of all-solid-state batteries and lithium-ion batteries to a level equivalent to more than 1.1 million EVs.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
