Toyota accelerates battery R&D
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - Toyota Motor Corp has set up a division to accelerate developing next-generation batteries, a company executive told reporters at the North American Auto Show.
The world's biggest carmaker and a leader of gasoline-electric vehicles has adopted nickel-metal-hydride batteries for the current Prius hybrid and decided to use more energy-efficient lithium-ion batteries for the plug-in hybrid car, which will be launched in 2012.
"We believe a key to the electrical mobile technology lies in innovation of battery technology," said Koei Saga, Toyota's managing officer who is in charge of developing batteries. "Lithium-ion batteries will already be a step forward, but we need batteries that offer far superior performance," he added.
The new division was established in January and about 50 engineers are studying production processes for the next-generation batteries. Saga did not elaborate on what the new batteries will be like or when they will come out.
Saga also said Toyota has eyed the possibility of procuring some batteries from outside the company although the carmaker will mainly keep on using its own batteries. Toyota has developed its batteries together with Japan's consumer electronics maker Panasonic.
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'For now, we're not touching it': Quebec closes door on nuclear power
MONTREAL - Quebec Premier François Legault has closed the door on nuclear power, at least for now.
"For the time being, we're not touching it," said Legault when asked about the subject at a press scrum in New York on Tuesday.
The government is looking for new sources of energy. In an interview with The Canadian Press at Quebec's official residence in New York, Legault said there are a number of avenues to explore:
- Energy efficiency.
- Negotiations with Newfoundland and Labrador over Churchill Falls and Gull Island.
- Upgrading existing dams and building new ones.
"Nuclear power is not on the agenda," he said.
Yet the premier seemed…
