Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and GS Yuasa International Ltd. announced that they have signed a joint venture agreement toward the establishment of a new company. As announced on January 23, 2023 with a joint venture agreement titled, "Honda and GS Yuasa Reach Basic Agreement Toward Collaboration for a High-capacity, High-output Lithium-ion Battery," the two companies have been discussing specifics for collaboration on high-capacity, high-output lithium-ion batteries, mainly for EVs. To address the rapidly growing demand for batteries, the new joint venture company, which will be named HondaGS Yuasa EV Battery R&D Co., Ltd., will research and develop lithium-ion batteries and battery production methods that will be highly competitive at a global level.

Moreover, the new company will strive to establish a supply chain for key raw materials and a highly-efficient production system for its batteries. The new company is scheduled to be established and begin operation before the end of 2023. The establishment of the new company and the start of its operation are subject to the approvals of the relevant authorities.