Asahi Kasei and Honda have signed an agreement to transform Asahi Kasei’s Canadian subsidiary, E-Materials Canada Corporation, into a joint venture for lithium-ion battery separator production.
This joint venture, tentatively named Asahi Kasei Honda Battery Separator Corporation, will leverage each company’s unique expertise in material and electrification technologies to produce high-quality battery separators essential for high-performance EVs.
Honda Canada will acquire a 25% stake in E-Materials through a C$417 million investment, encompassing new shares and additional funding. Set to launch in early 2025, the venture aims to ensure a stable separator supply in North America, enhancing battery performance and supporting Honda’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050.
“At the beginning of October, we launched Asahi Kasei Battery Separator as a new company for the Hipore separator business to achieve more nimble management for this essential component of lithium-ion batteries,” said Ryu Taniguchi, president, and representative director of Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Corp. “I am confident that we can continue to leverage the technology and experience gained with Hipore, as well as our global network and diverse personnel to realize innovations in batteries for the future of energy storage.”
As Honda strives toward the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, it is building a comprehensive electric vehicle value chain in Canada, where it has a history of conducting business for more than 50 years.
Filed Under: Batteries, Technology News