Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei and automaker Honda Motor have agreed to collaborate on the production of lithium-ion battery separators in Canada.
The two companies plan to turn E-Materials Canada into a joint venture, to be renamed Asahi Kasei Honda Battery Separator, in which Honda Canada will own 25%. Honda will invest approximately C$417 million ($300 million) in this project.
Honda Motor previously announced plans to build an EV production line in Canada with an estimated investment of CAD$15 billion ($11 billion).
Asahi Kasei's integrated base film production and coating plant for Asahi Kasei's lithium-ion battery separator will have a production capacity of approximately 700 million m² per year. The companies plan to start operating the JV in early 2025, and begin commercial production in 2027.
“At the beginning of October we launched Asahi Kasei Battery Separator as a new company for the Hipore separator business in order to achieve a very narrow management in this important segment of lithium-ion batteries,” said Ryu Taniguchi, President and Managing Director of Asahi Kasei Battery Separator. . “Our partnership will not only establish a stable supply of separators in North America, together we will improve battery performance and durability to advance the energy transition.”
Source: Honda Motor
