Friday 30 May 2008

Sanyo and Volkswagen to team up to create hybrid batteries

As the price of oil continues to rise car manufacturers are looking to hybrid solutions to help keep motoring costs down and you and I buying new vehicles. The latest car manufacturer to join the hybrid race is Volkswagen (VW) in a deal that sees it working with Sanyo to develop a new range of rechargeable batteries.

Prof Martin Winterkorn, CEO of the Volkswagen Group commented:

Our focus in future, will be directed more strongly at making electrically powered automobiles alongside ones driven by more efficient combustion engines. Drivetrain electrification is the way forward if we wish to secure mobility in tomorrow’s world. This will involve energy recovery. The whole idea will be to no avail, however, as long as we do not have powerful energy storage systems at our disposal and as long as vehicle operations are not in tune with customer demands. This cooperation is an important step for us.

VW and Sanyo have been working together to produce metal hydride batteries since 2006, but they are suited to gas-electric hybrids. Now Sanyo is going to invest US$769 million over the course of the next 7 years to produce lithium-ion batteries for use in VW cars. The batteries will be in production from next year with initial output no more than 20,000 units a year. VW hopes to be putting the batteries in its cars by 2010.

Geek.com

India to launch the new HYHUNDAI small car by 2011

NEW DELHI, May 30 (Reuters) - South Korea's top automaker, Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), hopes to launch its small car in India by 2011 or 2012, the managing director of its India unit said on Friday.

The company has said it is developing a car priced at around $3,500 to attract customers in China and India, where competition is set to hot up when Tata Motors (TAMO.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) starts selling its $2,500 Nano, possibly the world's cheapest, later this year.

Motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto (BAJA.BO: Quote, Profile, Research ) owns 50 percent in a venture with Renault and partner Nissan Motor (7201.T: Quote, Profile, Research) to make a similarly priced car from 2011.

"We don't have any immediate plan to fight against the Nano," Hyundai's H.S. Lheem told reporters on the sidelines of a traffic event.

Reuters