Nissan announces plans to double li-ion battery production as Leaf pre-orders swell

Expansion is in the immediate future for Nissan's joint battery venture Automotive Energy Supply Corp (AESC). According to a report from Jiji Press in Japan, AESC will almost immediately double its production of li-ion batteries from the planned amount of 54,000 annually to the new target of 90,000 per annum.

The increase comes because Leaf pre-orders are rolling in at a steady rate, now eclipsing 20,000. AESC will add an additional production line at its facility in Zama, Japan to facilitate the increase in li-ion battery production. It's not just the Leaf that drives the need for more batteries though. Nissan will launch three additional EVs within the next few years and partner Renault is scheduled to add four of its own. Nissan and Renault continue to impress with their bullish outlook, but 90,000 batteries is still a far cry from the 500,000 number tossed around before.

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[Source: Jiji Press via Green Car Advisor]