Korea's LG Energy Solution Ltd. said Friday that its joint venture with Honda Motor has begun mass production of lithium-ion battery cells for energy storage systems (ESS) in the United States. The battery plant in Jeffersonville, Ohio, operated by the joint venture L-H Battery, began producing ESS battery cells on Thursday (U.S. local time), the company said. The battery cells will be supplied through LG Energy Solution Vertech, the company's North American ESS system integration subsidiary, for use in power grid, commercial, industrial and residential ESS applications across the U.S. The plant was originally designed to manufacture battery cells for electric vehicles (EVs). However, LG Energy Solution shifted its production strategy to focus on ESS batteries in response to changes in the U.S. regulatory environment for EVs and the strong growth prospects of the energy storage market. L-H Battery said it plans to maintain a flexible production portfolio by manufacturing battery cells for hybrid EVs, as well as ESS, depending on market demand. The start of mass production marks a significa