Johnson Controls International’s (JCI) soon-to-be-sold Power Solutions business, is joining forces with Toshiba to manufacture lithium-ion batteries that will be “paired” with lead-acid battery technology as part of dual-battery systems for carmakers.
JCI, which has agreed to sell Power Solutions to US and Canadian investment firms, said the partners will develop and make the lithium-ion batteries at JCI’s Holland plant in Michigan.
Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation general manager Fujio Takahashi said the partnership would involve the use of Toshiba’s SCiB lithium titanium oxide technology.
Takahashi said: “The use of a lithium-titanium anode delivers safety, a long life, low-temperature performance, rapid charging, high input and output power, and a large effective capacity. It is also a good match with lead-acid batteries, and we are sure our joint work with Johnson Controls will greatly benefit automakers around the globe facing efficiency challenges.”
JCI did not respond to BEST Battery Briefing’s request for how battery development partnerships with other companies might be impacted by its sale of Power Solutions, which is essentially all of its lead-acid and lithium business.
Earlier this month, JCI said it would retain a few interests in Power Solutions in the long run— namely, some pension liabilities and capital leases, totalling <$100m— but had entered transitional service agreements that would last for one to two years past the close of the Power Solutions sale, which is expected to be by the end of June 2019.
