Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid (Source: Panasonic Corporation)
Panasonic Corporation has announced its intention to supply nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery systems for Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.’s first-ever hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) best known as Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid. The car designed for the U.S. market will be unveiled at the 2013 New York International Auto Show (March 29 to April 7), 2013 and will go on sale in the fall this year.
With a rising environmental consciousness, demand for rechargeable batteries for eco-friendly vehicles is expected to grow rapidly. Panasonic is building up its battery business to meet such demand. The company is already supplying Ni-MH battery cells and systems for hybrid electric vehicles to a growing number of automotive manufactuers around the world, as well as lithium-ion battery cells and systems for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.
Panasonic started developing Ni-MH battery cells for HEVs in 1997 and has been mass producing them since 2004. Panasonic’s Ni-MH battery cells are durable and able to maintain a high charging/discharging capacity over an extended period of time, thanks to the company’s unique battery manufacturing technologies, including polar plate sintering technology. This technology involving firing of metal nickel powder at high temperatures for manufacturing rigid, porous nickel substrate. Panasonic also has many years of experience in building battery systems, such as those incorporating battery cells with a control unit that optimizes the performance of each battery cell.
