Johnson Controls, the maker of Varta automotive batteries, has unveiled its first-generation 48 volt lithium-ion Micro Hybrid battery prototype. Developed for the needs of European automakers, the unit features dual voltage architecture, incorporating a 12 volt lead-acid starter battery and a 48 volt lithium-ion battery in its housing.
The 48 volt unit is meant to handle the increasing voltage demand of high-voltage applications, including electric power steering, stop-start and brake regeneration systems. It’s designed with the capacity to quickly capture energy from braking and will support higher loads such as air-conditioning and active chassis technologies.
The 12 volt battery, meanwhile, will continue to provide power to the vehicle starter, interior/exterior lights as well as components in the in-car entertainment system. The hybrid system will involve the need to redesign the alternator and starter in a vehicle, but it’s looking like a necessary step.
The growing adoption of energy hungry components means that boosting voltage from a 12 volt battery via DC-to-DC converters isn’t going to be quite enough in the long run. Dual lead-acid units are in place with some manufacturers, but hardly optimal as far as space and weight considerations go.
The 48 volt Micro Hybrid unit will begin testing with key automotive customers in December – eventual adoption of the new battery architecture will start in Europe, before making its way to the US market and then on a global basis beginning 2020, the company says.
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Good! I have nothing more to say. :)
does it mean 2 type of battery in one housing, 12 volt lead-acid and a 48 volt lithium-ion…great innovation.
if this tech come here, my concern is more on can it withstand extreme heat in my car bonnet under hot climate of my beloved country .
and I prefer to have my battery located in engine compartment not anywhere else like some conti cars.
For the same power demand, a system with higher voltage is more efficient, because of the lower current flowing through the wires.
absolutely right, the same reason we step up the transmission voltage to high as 500kV before gradually bring it down 275kV,132kV,33kV,11kV,240V (depending on the needs) on our national grid.
yup, with more and more electronics/functions being incorporated into a car (eg new s class), batter with more juice and higher voltage is needed.. Obviously there are advantages of having 2 types of battery in one box, to name a few : weight saving, easier design, more efficient energy usage (petrol saving)…etc…
the disavantage i suspect is : while the lithium ion battery will last very long(in the case of toyota hybrid as much as more than 10 years); the lead asic battery (like the one we use in our cars) only has lifespan arnd 3 years…So, the problems is , when the lead asic battery dies, do we neec to replace everything including the lithium ion since both r combined in a box? It will be expensive before it reaches mass numbers.
48V? 12V is sufficient for cars. Just bring more storage capacity will do.
I would rather have a 48V and a step down DC-DC to 12 V