Japan Steel to Develop Materials for Electrical Car

Japanese steel makers try to follow automakers’ move to shift electrical vehicle when automakers are expected to develop environmental friendly vehicles including fuel battery car while Toyota Motor and Honda Motor expand the sales for hybrid car. Mitsubishi Motors and Fuji Heavy Industries launch domestic first electrical vehicle in the summer. Japanese steel makers try to develop next generation steel products while they try to find the automobile market trend.

DELTA ID Research Institute expects electrical vehicle with lithium ion battery will represent more than 10% for the domestic automobile production by 2015. The key for electrical vehicle is lithium ion battery technology. Toyota Motor started the development through joint venture with Panasonic. Honda Motor, Mitsubishi Motors and GS Yuasa have another joint venture while Nissan Motor and NEC launched battery venture.

Electrical vehicle needs no power unit including engine, which consumes large volume of special steel parts. Electrical car is expected to use some other materials for hood instead of steel while engine driven vehicle needs steel hood to endure for high temperature for the power unit. Electrical car is expected to use more electrical steel for the motor and ultra high strength steel for better safety.