KYOTO, Japan — GS Yuasa will enter the market for electric-vehicle batteries as early as next year, President Osamu Murao told Nikkei, shifting focus from hybrids to follow the industry’s global pivot to fully electric models.
The Japanese battery maker recently formed a department for the project, bringing in engineers from its hybrid and plug-in hybrid operations. The team aims to develop lithium-ion cells with the energy density and durability needed for EVs, and also serve as a point of contact with automakers and other customers.