Although plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles are still a few years away from mass production, Mitsubishi is already anticipating a spike in demand for automotive lithium ion battery packs. In order to be prepared for the increased demand, the Japanese automaker has announced that it will be opening a new battery plant in Japan.

Slated to open its doors in April 2009, the new plant will initially have the capacity to produce 200,000 battery cells annually – roughly the equivalent of 2,000 vehicles, according to Automotive News. Once the plant is up and running, Mitsubishi expects production to grow enough to equip 10,000 vehicles.

The new plant will be operated by Lithium Energy Japan – a joint venture between Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa Corp.

Original plans called for battery production to be carried out at an existing plant, but the recent spike in demand for fuel efficient vehicles spurred Lithium Energy Japan to open a new stand-alone factory.

The new factory will produce the batteries for Mitsubishi’s all-electric i MiEV, which will hit the Japanese market next summer and could eventually end up in Mitsubishi’s U.S. showrooms.

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