Clarios, a global leader in advanced low-voltage battery solutions, announced an agreement to develop 24-volt lithium-ion batteries for heavy-duty applications together with a major European commercial truck manufacturer. The trend in trucking is the integration of more electrical devices, such as parking, heating, and cooling systems, to enhance driver comfort. Electrification trends, including the shift of auxiliaries from hydraulic and air pressure systems to electric ones, and the implementation of x-by-wire technologies like brake-by-wire and steer-by-wire, are significantly impacting the low-voltage power network in commercial vehicles and trucks. These advancements, along with increased demands from Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), infotainment, and connectivity, are transforming heavy-duty vehicles and raising safety requirements and the need for redundancy in Electrical/Electronic (E/E) architecture. Current energy demands may require up to 30 percent more battery capacity during an overnight stay, with improved hoteling comfort features contributing to higher electrical loads and anti-idle limitations resulting in deeper discharge cycles of up to 80 percent daily.
Lithium-ion systems are an excellent fit for these new demands, offering versatile electrochemistry with multiple design options. Clarios鈥檚 Lithium-Ion system is robust enough to withstand the harsh vibrations of over-the-road trucking and integrates seamlessly with all necessary safety and autonomous-driving functions. The enhanced performance supports overnight stays without idling and powers the low-voltage network, enabling cabin comfort features and key-off loads, such as over-the-air software updates when needed. In line with its commitment to expanding the portfolio beyond current AGM battery offerings, Clarios is also exploring future technologies, including Sodium-Ion and other chemistries. This approach allows Clarios to remain adaptable and responsive to the evolving needs of the heavy-duty market, without being confined to a single technology.
鈥淏attery failure can account for as much as 20 percent of a truck鈥檚 downtime,鈥� said Federico Morales Zimmermann, vice president and GM, Global Customers, Products and Engineering at Clarios. 鈥淥ur new 24-volt Lithium-Ion battery for heavy-duty fleets not only addresses this challenge by reducing downtime but also introduces advanced energy management capabilities that optimize the overall efficiency of fleet operations. By integrating smart diagnostics and predictive maintenance features, these batteries allow operators to anticipate and prevent failures before they occur, resulting in significant savings on emergency repairs and premature replacements. We are planning to market this development in EMEA under VARTA Automotive, Europe鈥檚 leading brand for low-voltage batteries, further solidifying our position as innovators in fleet electrification and power management solutions.鈥�