TOKYO -- Japanese EV battery material suppliers including Mitsubishi Chemical and Tokai Carbon aim to ramp up production overseas as the West is reducing its dependence on China for key materials, Nikkei has learned.
Mitsubishi Chemical will invest several billion yen (several 10 million dollars) in Western countries by 2023 to double its output of electrolyte solution for batteries. More specifically, it will double its annual output capacity of electrolyte solution to 34,000 tons in the U.S., surpassing production capacity in Japan, which is currently at 26,000 tons. It also aims to double its output capacity to 20,000 tons in the U.K. Tokai Carbon aims to start producing anode material in Europe by 2024.
