RF, China to open lithium-ion batteries production JV in Novosibirsk

NOVOSIBIRSK, April 13 (Itar-Tass) - The first Russian-Chinese
enterprise producing lithium-ion batteries will open in Novosibirsk by
autumn.
The enterprise was created from scratch by the Russian hi-tech
corporation ROSNANO and the Chinese company Thunder Sky Group, which
produces ultra-capacity lithium-ion batteries for electric powered
vehicles and energy accumulators. The enterprise will produce batteries
for cars, mini-vans and passenger busses with electric motors.
According to the governor of the Novosibirsk Region, Vasily Yurchenko,
"The plant's building is completely ready for the accommodation of
technological equipment. It goes without saying that after the equipment's
delivery its installation will begin exactly on schedule. The recruitment
of personnel is currently underway."
The plant's construction is one of the largest investment projects in
the Novosibirsk Region. The general amount of investments into hi-tech
production totals about 12 billion roubles.
Specialists believe that the enterprise's production will have a
guaranteed niche for upcoming four years, because the Chinese company
plans to purchase most of its products to honor contracts with the
domestic automobile industry. Later the batteries will be sold in Russia.
It is not excluded that they will be used in GAZelle mini-vans.
Experiments to equip these with electric power plants have been held
successfully.
A scientific and technological center will be set up within the
framework of the project. Russia will contribute the current
nanotechnological ideas , which may considerably improve the technical
characteristics of accumulator batteries produced by the Thunder Sky Group
and create new market niches for them.
Profit from battery sales in 2015 is forecast at 13.1 billion roubles.