“Airbus considers this to be the most appropriate way forward in the interest of program execution and reliability,” said Marcella Muratore, an Airbus spokeswoman.
Yes, I can understand how this change might reduce production risks, but I can't help thinking this is not just about production risks (unless by that you also include no one wanting to buy your plane). There must be a not-insignificant public relations aspect to this decision, too. No matter how the Boeing situation turns out, Li Ion technology is damaged goods in the public eye, at least for this kind of application. Airbus is probably protecting its sales and marketing by avoiding any potential public backlash against a decision to continue with their use of a suspect technology.