As early as mid-2024, automakers Honda Nissan and Mitsubishi have established a partnership to work together on electrification. Now possible origins are known.
Shortly before the end of the year, newspapers and news websites reported what SPEEDWEEK readers have known for almost six months: Nissan and Honda have agreed to work together on mobility power supply, and Mitsubishi will now join this strategic partnership at the end in January. .
Wise Japanese executives are revealing nothing more than a broad suggestion that the partnership involves cars and possibly electric motorcycles, especially not at a press conference with a crowd of journalists likely to be secretive, silent loners. However, the nuances in the behavior of the three representatives at the press conference indicate that Honda is in charge of this project.
A possible background, according to SPEEDWEEK author’s speculation, is the further development and establishment of mass production of solid state batteries. As in lead batteries, which are now considered obsolete, modern lithium-ion batteries also use a liquid electrolyte, which is a solvent in which the lithium salt is dissolved – to put it simply.
In solid state batteries, ions are transported (charged and discharged) through a solid body (made of ceramic or plastic). The principle of operation is known; The first solid state batteries are used in buses. In buses because solid state batteries have high energy density, but low energy density. This means that they can store a lot of energy in a small space, but they can only release this energy again in a limited amount of time. At full power for short periods of time, such as when running, a solid-state battery is inferior to a lithium-ion battery.
However, almost all known car manufacturers are working on the development of a solid-state battery because it offers a greater range with the same level of construction and because there is no electrolyte leakage that can ignite if damaged, for example in an accident. In addition, a solid state battery is temperature resistant and therefore does not require cooling or heating when used in a vehicle. And processing will also be easy.
Honda opened a factory for “demonstration production” of solid-state batteries in Sakura, Japan, in November 2024. Honda understands that this is a pilot production facility where production processes are tested and tested.
Honda wants to develop a production process where separate, thin layers of these batteries are rolled onto each other and pressed one by one. This process is not necessarily good for mass production. The battery must be delivered in a timely manner and at a competitive cost.
It is quite possible that Honda has brought in Nissan and Mitsubishi as partners at this point, because time is running out. If all manufacturers were to get ahead of this development, the Honda/Nissan/Mitsubishi alliance could become one of the world’s largest (largest?) automakers. If you miss them completely, you are in danger of drowning in poverty.
