Lithium ion battery maker EnerDel Inc. plans to open new factories in China and Europe by the end of next year in a bid to triple its capacity for electric-vehicle power packs.

The plant in China will manufacture everything from electrodes and cells to power packs, said Naoki Ota, chief operating officer of EnerDel's parent company, Ener1 Inc.

The China plant initially will produce battery packs for up to 20,000 vehicles a year, he said.

EnerDel also plans to open its first plant in Europe, where the company will supply batteries for an electric-powered Volvo C30. 

That plant will launch production late in 2011, with an annual capacity of 20,000 battery packs. 

By the end of 2011, EnerDel will have the global capacity to produce batteries for 60,000 electric vehicles annually, Ota said. 

So far, EnerDel has two automotive customers: Volvo and Norwegian electric car maker Think Global. This year, the company will announce two new customers in Asia and Europe. Neither of those deals will supply passenger vehicles, Ota said.

EnerDel expects Chinese demand for electric vehicles to boom as Beijing prmotes the use of electric buses, delivery trucks and other fleet vehicles.

Ota said lithium ion battery makers must capture around 30 percent of the global market to be cost competitive. 

EnerDel likely will need a bigger partner to achieve that scale, he added: "At some point, when we have to make a huge investment, we may have to team up with somebody."