Toyota , of Pirius fame has set ambitious targets for sale of its new improved variant.Toyota anticipates global annual sales of a million electric cars post 2010.It is presently engaged in a battery venture with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co for production of nickel metal hydride batteries.Additionally Toyota is also planning to increase production of the lithium ion batteries by 2010. President Katsuaki Watanabe of Toyota says ” We plan to use both nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries, choosing the appropriate option depending on the vehicle “.
Companies like Nissan, Mitsubhishi, are also engaged in several partnerships to boost production of lithium-ion batteries.The supply of batteries presents the biggest bottleneck for the production of hybrid cars at present.Alternatives like ultracapacitors and fuel cells have not found much favor with car-makers barring Honda,which has replaced a battery in its FCX clarity by an ultracapacitors.
