Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to Suspend Lithium-Ion Battery Production and May Sell it to Delta Group

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. planned to discontinue their lithium-ion battery production business, noted Nikkei news. The company is expected to sell their lithium-ion battery production equipments at Nagasaki Shipyard, which cost them JP¥ 100 to build in 2010, to Taiwanese companies. Rumors had it Delta Group, a Taiwanese power supply leader, may purchase these production equipments from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

It’s reported that lithium-ion battery annual capacity at Nagasaki Shipyard was 66 thousand kW, which could power 3,000-4,000 units of electric vehicles. Although lithium-ion batteries have been adopted by electric buses, it hasn’t been applied to electric vehicles. Thus, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has decided to suspend their lithium-ion battery production business because only few orders have been placed.

In addition, indicated by Nikkei Business Publications, Inc., after Mitsubishi Heavy Industry discontinues their lithium-ion battery production business, they will keep their sales business and purchase lithium-ion batteries from Taiwanese manufacuturers that decide to buy the production equipments at Nagasaki Shipyard.