Hitachi, US firm seek Tie-up

Japan's Hitachi will seek a tie-up with US automobile battery maker Johnson Controls as it tries to boost global sales of its lithium ion and other cutting-edge batteries, the firms said Monday.
Johnson Controls is a top automobile battery maker and a major manufacturer in autoparts, with a more than 30 percent share in the lead-acid storage battery market.
The Japanese technology firm hopes to increase sales of its lithium ion and other batteries for use in electric vehicles and smart grids by using Johnson's sales network, which spans more than 150 countries.
"The introduction of efficient energy storage is anticipated in various fields in society for sustainable growth of the global economy," Yoshito Tsunoda, head of Hitachi's battery systems division, said in a statement.