German carmaker Volkswagen and Japan's Sanyo are working together again to develop a lithium-ion battery.

Volkswagen wants the battery to work in its hybrid and electric cars by 2012 in the second deal between tech companies and car makers. Lithium-ion batteries are considered more environmentally friendly than nickel-hydrogen ones, at least when they do not explode.

The lithium-ion battery to be jointly developed would be smaller and lighter than nickel-hydrogen batteries, enabling the car's weight to be cut by 200-300 kilograms.

Sanyo has the biggest global share of lithium-ion batteries used in personal computers and mobile phones. Volkswagen was set up by Hitler in a bid to give every German a car. At the same time Sanyo was making bike lamps. Nice to see them working together.