Editor's note: An earlier version of this story, which also appeared on Page 21 of the July 1 issue, gave the wrong time frame for several events. Robert Bosch GmbH and GS Yuasa Corp. announced a partnership in lithium ion batteries last month. Also, problems with lithium ion batteries from GS Yuasa prompted Mitsubishi Motors to recall some vehicles in June. In May, Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa put a manufacturing fix in place to prevent battery defects.

YOKOHAMA, Japan -- German supplier Robert Bosch GmbH, aiming to develop an advanced lithium ion battery that can power electric vehicles much longer than today's batteries, has dumped its South Korean battery partner for a Japanese one.

But at first blush, its choice to team with GS Yuasa Corp. seems dubious.

GS Yuasa was all but unknown until January, when its overheating lithium ion power packs forced the global grounding of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.

Then, in June, problems with GS Yuasa's automotive lithium ion batteries forced Mitsubishi Motors Corp. to recall the i electric vehicle and Outlander plug-in hybrid crossover in Japan.