German carmaker Volkswagen and Japan's Sanyo Electric Co will jointly develop a lithium-ion bat tery to be used in hybrid and electric cars, the Nikkei Financial Daily reported on Sunday. Volkswagen will aim to start importing and using the battery in its hybrid and electric cars by 2012, the Nikkei said. Sanyo makes nickel-hydrogen batteries that can be recharged repeatedly and Volkswagen and subsidiary Audi AG in the Volkswagen Group's first hybrid model to be rolled out as early as next year will use the batteries.