There's a lot of maneuvering underway as big-name automakers race to bring electric cars to market. On Tuesday we noted how there had already been
two electric car deals announced in July -- General Motors Corp. alliance with electric companies in 40 states to support GM's roll-out of the Chevrolet Volt
and Saturn Vue, and a joint venture between Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA to explore building a network of battery-charging stations.
Now, more news from Nissan. According to
New Hybrid Cars Review, the automaker, along with partners NEC Corp. and NEC Tokin Corp., will invest $115 million over the next three years to produce lithium-ion batteries through an existing joint venture. The companies launched Automotive Energy Supply Corp. in 2007 to co-develop and manufacture lithium-ion batteries for use in electric cars. Toyota Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. Ltd. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. are all working on
their own lithium-ion batteries in separate JVs.
We may see more dealmaking among automakers in the months ahead -- and not just in the alternative-energy vehicle space. In Wednesday's
Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn predicted more alliances, and possibly mergers, as automakers seek to offset slowing sales in Europe and moderating demand in China.
- Suzanne Stevens
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