Toshiba's SCiB rechargeable battery selected for Ev-neo, Honda's new electric motorcycle

Toshiba Corporation today announced that its SCiB battery has been selected by Honda Motor as the power battery module for Honda's new commercial-use electric motorcycle, the "EV-neo."

The SCiB is Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable battery that offers excellent long life and rapid recharging characteristics. Since its introduction, the battery has earned a high evaluation that supported its selection for Honda's new electric motorcycle.

SCiB cells will be housed in an SCiB module integrating a battery management system that utilizes the capabilities of the SCiB to the full; it controls overall charging and discharging by analyzing factors that include temperature and voltage. The SCiB's long cycle life and rapid recharging will allow EV-neo to recharge to 80% of full capacity in only 20 minutes with a rechargeable power source.

Honda plans to launch "EV-neo" in December 2010.

Toshiba positions the SCiB as a new business with promising long term growth potential. The company plans to produces SCiB for industrial applications at Kashiwazaki Operations, a new facility in Niigata prefecture that will start production in 2011. Kashiwazaki Operations will manufacture SCiB for battery-powered electric vehicles and for the power storage market that will accompany the coming transition to smart grids.