Sony Energy Devices Corporation
A Sony energy-technology subsidiary that develops and manufactures primary and rechargeable batteries and related energy devices.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Sony Energy Devices Corporation is a Japanese energy-technology company within Sony's Devices Group. Its business has centered on the development, design, and manufacture of primary and rechargeable battery cells and related battery products. The company was established in Fukushima in February 1975 as Sony-Eveready, a joint venture between Sony Corporation and Union Carbide Corporation of the United States. Following the dissolution of that joint venture in 1986, the business continued under the name Sony Energytec. Over the course of its development, the company expanded across several battery chemistries and applications. Its activities included silver-oxide batteries, alkaline-manganese dry batteries, lithium coin cells, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion polymer batteries, battery electrodes, battery packs, and power-supply products. These technologies served a broad range of applications, including mobile phones, tablets, notebook computers, digital cameras, power tools, robotic cleaners, watches, calculators, residential energy storage, and energy-storage systems for data servers. The business was reorganized several times within Sony. Sony Energytec merged with Sony Motomiya in 2000 to form Sony Fukushima. Sony Fukushima later combined with Sony Tochigi, with the resulting organization operating as Sony Energy Devices Corporation. These changes consolidated Sony's battery and energy-device activities in Japan while preserving the company's role as a specialist manufacturing and development operation. Sony also pursued energy-storage technology through partnerships. In June 2014, Sony and Hydro-Québec established Esstalion Technologies, Inc., a joint venture focused on large-scale energy-storage technologies. This initiative reflected the broader industrial importance of rechargeable batteries beyond consumer electronics, including grid and stationary-storage applications. A major strategic change came in 2016, when Sony agreed to sell its lithium-ion battery business to Murata Manufacturing. The transaction was completed on September 1, 2017, and the transferred business became part of Tohoku Murata Manufacturing. After the transfer, Sony Energy Devices Corporation continued to handle Sony-branded consumer battery products and certain other operations. Consequently, the company should not be understood simply as Sony's former lithium-ion battery manufacturing operation: its post-2017 activities represent a narrower continuation of Sony's energy-device and consumer-battery responsibilities, while much of the former lithium-ion battery business moved to Murata.
History
Sony Energy Devices Corporation traces its origins to February 1975, when Sony Corporation and Union Carbide Corporation established Sony-Eveready in Fukushima as a joint venture for battery design and manufacturing. The company entered production with silver-oxide batteries in 1977 and alkaline-manganese dry batteries in 1979. It added lithium coin batteries in 1982, broadening its portfolio beyond conventional dry-cell products. The original Sony–Union Carbide joint venture was dissolved in April 1986. The business was renamed Sony Energytec and continued under Sony's ownership. During the late 1980s and 1990s, its development program increasingly emphasized rechargeable technologies. Lithium-ion battery production began in 1991, followed by lithium-ion battery-electrode production in 1998 and lithium-ion polymer battery production in 1999. The company also began a power-supply-unit business in 2000. Sony continued to consolidate its domestic energy operations through corporate reorganizations. In 2000, Sony Energytec merged with Sony Motomiya to form Sony Fukushima. Sony Fukushima subsequently combined with Sony Tochigi, producing the organization that became Sony Energy Devices Corporation. The reorganization consolidated related manufacturing and engineering capabilities within Sony's Devices activities. The available reference material places the formation of Sony Energy Devices Corporation in the mid-2000s, with the principal company history identifying 2006. The company expanded its rechargeable-battery capabilities during this period. Lithium-ion battery-pack production began in 2006, complementing earlier cell, electrode, and polymer-battery activities. Its technologies were used or designed for a wide spectrum of devices, from portable electronics and cameras to power tools, watches, calculators, robotic cleaners, and stationary energy-storage applications. In June 2014, Sony and Hydro-Québec created Esstalion Technologies, Inc. The joint venture represented an effort to develop large-scale energy-storage solutions and showed how Sony's battery expertise could be applied beyond individual consumer devices. The initiative was part of a broader shift in the energy industry toward rechargeable storage for industrial, residential, and electricity-system uses. The most important later turning point was Sony's decision to exit much of its lithium-ion battery business. In 2016, Sony and Murata Manufacturing agreed on a transfer of the battery business. Completion took place on September 1, 2017. The transferred operation became Tohoku Murata Manufacturing. Sony Energy Devices Corporation nevertheless retained the sales organization for Sony-branded consumer battery products and certain other operations. This transaction reduced the scope of Sony's direct lithium-ion battery manufacturing activities while preserving a continuing Sony presence in selected consumer battery and energy-device businesses.
- 2017
Lithium-ion battery business transfer is completed
[1]Murata Manufacturing completes its acquisition of Sony's lithium-ion battery business on September 1.
- 2014
Esstalion Technologies is established
[1]Sony and Hydro-Québec establish a joint venture focused on energy-storage technology.
- 2006
Sony Energy Devices Corporation is consolidated
[1]Sony Fukushima and Sony Tochigi are consolidated into Sony Energy Devices Corporation; lithium-ion battery-pack production is also recorded for this period.
- 2000
Sony Fukushima is formed
[1]Sony Energytec merges with Sony Motomiya to create Sony Fukushima and begins a power-supply-unit business.
- 1999
Lithium-ion polymer production begins
[1]The company expands into lithium-ion polymer batteries.
- 1998
Lithium-ion electrode production begins
[1]The company starts producing electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.
- 1991
Lithium-ion battery production begins
[1]Sony Energytec begins producing lithium-ion batteries.
- 1986
Sony Energytec is formed
[1]After the Sony–Union Carbide joint venture ends, the business adopts the Sony Energytec name.
- 1982
Lithium coin battery production begins
[1]The company adds lithium coin batteries to its product portfolio.
- 1979
Alkaline-manganese battery production begins
[1]Production expands to alkaline-manganese dry batteries.
Products and positioning
A technology and manufacturing specialist serving Sony's consumer-electronics ecosystem and selected industrial energy-storage applications, with a historical emphasis on battery-cell development and production.
Primary battery · 1977
Primary batteries
The company has produced non-rechargeable battery technologies including silver-oxide cells, alkaline-manganese dry batteries, and lithium coin batteries. These formats serve compact and everyday devices such as watches, calculators, and other portable electronics.
Rechargeable battery · 1991
Lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries became a major part of the company's technical and manufacturing portfolio from 1991. The technology supported applications ranging from mobile electronics and cameras to power tools and stationary energy storage. Sony transferred this business to Murata, with completion in 2017.
Rechargeable battery · 1999
Lithium-ion polymer batteries
Sony Energytec began producing lithium-ion polymer batteries in 1999. Their form-factor flexibility made the technology relevant to compact consumer-electronics applications, although the reference material does not identify a current product range under the company.
Battery pack · 2006
Lithium-ion battery packs
Battery-pack production complemented the company's cell and electrode capabilities and supported integrated power solutions for electronic products and equipment. The reference timeline records the start of lithium-ion battery-pack production in 2006.
Power equipment · 2000
Power-supply units
The company entered the power-supply-unit business in 2000, extending its activities beyond individual battery cells and packs into related power-management hardware.
Consumer battery
Sony-branded consumer batteries
After the lithium-ion business transfer to Murata, the sales department for Sony-branded consumer battery products and certain other operations remained within Sony Energy Devices Corporation.
Brand decisions
2016
Transfer of the lithium-ion battery business to MurataM&ABackground
Sony decided to transfer its lithium-ion battery business to Murata Manufacturing as part of a strategic change in its energy-device operations.
Action taken
Sony and Murata reached an agreement covering the lithium-ion battery business. The transaction was completed on September 1, 2017, and the transferred operation became Tohoku Murata Manufacturing.
Aftermath
Sony Energy Devices Corporation retained the sales department for Sony-branded consumer battery products and certain other activities, while Murata assumed the transferred lithium-ion battery operations.
Recent events
- 2017
Transfer of Sony's lithium-ion battery business is completed[1]
M&A
The transaction with Murata Manufacturing was completed on September 1, 2017. The transferred business became associated with Tohoku Murata Manufacturing, while Sony-branded consumer battery sales and selected activities remained with Sony Energy Devices Corporation.
- 2016
Sony agrees to transfer its lithium-ion battery business to Murata Manufacturing[1]
M&A
Sony reached an agreement with Murata Manufacturing to transfer its lithium-ion battery business, marking a significant change in Sony's energy-device operations.
- 2014
Sony and Hydro-Québec establish Esstalion Technologies[1]
M&A · Other
Sony and Hydro-Québec formed Esstalion Technologies, Inc. as a joint venture focused on energy-storage technologies.
Sources1 sources
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