Toshiba Corp is anticipating strong demands and sales for their SCiB (super charge ion battery) and started the construction of another production plant in the Kashiwazaki Frontier Park, in Kashiwazaki city, Niigata prefecture.
The applications are various in the EV field: motorcycles, forklifts and cars and the need of a second factory seems to be mandatory compared to the anticipated sales volumes. Toshiba selected Kashiwazaki because of the city’s commitment to have a low-carbon society by promoting EVs and attracting EV-related businesses.
Promoted by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in order to encourage the adoption of EV and PHV, Kashiwazaki is already recognized as a model town for the “EV and plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV)” adoption. There was no better town Toshiba could have selected for their new facility.
The construction of the 33,000 square meters plant will start in April 2010 and will be completed in October 2010. The SCiB cell production will start in the spring of 2011 and the capacity of the facility will be high enough to provide modules to all major EV manufacturers in the area.
