TOKYO (Reuters) - Hitachi Ltd's vehicle energy unit will succeed in the crowded car battery market due to its strong track record and is close to winning new orders for its lithium-ion batteries, the head of the unit said on Thursday.
Combined sales of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles in the four key auto markets -- China, the United States, Japan and Europe -- are expected to quintuple in the next decade, according to Nomura Research Institute, causing the demand for batteries to surge.
