GM and Honda Partner on Battery Development

General Motors and Honda have announced that the two automakers are partnering on creating new advanced battery technology.

The pair will collaborate to develop new battery tech, including the chemistry, cell, and the modules that fit the cells into cars. The goal is to get a new battery with higher energy density, smaller packaging, and faster charging, and to get it done more quickly than the two could do separately.

The new battery will be based on the next-generation tech that GM is already working on. The intent is for Honda to buy modules from GM. That extra scale will help both to reach higher efficiencies and lower cost.

When it comes to electric cars, GM has more experience than Honda. While Honda has been building hybrids since the 2000 Insight, its only current EV is the Clarity plug-in hybrid. GM has several fully-electric models in production or announced, including the Chevrolet Bolt in North America and the Buick Velite 6 in China. The Bolt battery cells are provided by LG Chem.

"GM’s decades of electrification experience and strategic EV investments, alongside Honda’s commitment to advancing mobility, will result in better solutions for our customers and progress on our zero emissions vision," said General Motors Executive Vice President of Global Product Development Mark Reuss.

This isn't the first technology tie-up for GM and Honda. The two currently have a joint venture to help efforts to produce an advanced hydrogen fuel cell system. The two teams are working to make the cells more commercially viable. There was also a collaboration in the 2000s that saw Honda V6 engines in Saturns and GM diesels in European Hondas.