Volvo will get li-ion battery packs from LG Chem *UPDATE

Volvo's been working on next-gen plug-in vehicles since at least 2007, when we first saw the ReCharge concept (above). The last time we saw the company's latest electric vehicle (EV), the Volvo C30 electric car, it was at lithium battery maker EnerDel's facility in Indiana. We know that car won't make it to the U.S., but have now learned a bit more about Volvo's move to get lithium-ion batteries for its EV program. According to Yonhap, Korean company LG Chem – maker of batteries for fan faves like the Korean-market Hyundai Elantra hybrid and a little car called the Chevrolet Volt – will provide lithium-ion packs for Volvo's EVs. LG Chem also makes packs for CT&T, China's Chang'an Automobile Group and Eaton Corp. If that's not enough, a LG vice president said that the company expects to sign four more electric vehicle battery deals by the end of the year.

We don't know what Volvo projects LG Chem will provide packs for, but we've asked Volvo if there's any more information to share. Unlikely, but maybe we'll get a belated Earth Day present.

UPDATE: The batteries will probably be used in a diesel-PHEV car due on the market in 2012.

[Source: Yonhap via Green Car Congress]