Johnson Controls plans to unveil a production-ready micro-hybrid system that is believed will boost the fuel economy of a car by 15 percent. The micro hybrid is designed in such a way that car makers will have an alternative that is cheaper compared to full-scale electric or hybrid vehicles. This alternative will not only boost gas mileage, but also adhere to the regulations of global warming that have been placed around the globe. A prototype version of the technology was unveiled by the Glendale, California, firm in January. The firm is now planning to ship the battery’s first generation to automakers so that it can be tested in December. Frankfurt’s Motor Show will provide a platform for unveiling the batteries.
Operation Mechanism of the Micro-Battery System
The system uses a 12-volt starter battery and 48-volt lithium battery. The major role of the lithium battery is capturing energy at a faster rate from braking, as well as supporting energy-consuming features such as chassis technologies and air conditioning. Johnson Controls is the largest automotive batteries’ supplier in the world. By developing the micro hybrid technology, the company will help the car industry in meeting the aggressive standards of gas mileage and minimize the rate of carbon dioxide emissions.
More About Johnson Controls
The company develops lithium-based batteries for hybrid cars in addition to lead-acid batteries for start-stop systems. This enables the car to turn off when it is idle and restart once the accelerator is turned on. Johnson Controls is among the 11 companies around the globe that has been attempting to get a niche in next-generation technologies of batteries. This is according to Navigant Research analysts. This consulting firm asserts that Johnson Controls is the one of the leading companies in the race for lithium-ion battery technology, along with Japan-based AESC and Korea-based LG Chem.
International Controls
There is a possibility for European automakers to invent novel micro-hybrid-battery models prior to the year 2020. It has been mandated for novel cars to attain a mean mileage of 58 miles per gallon by that year. All the United States vehicle makers are expected to adopt the micro-hybrid technology once it is revealed. The micro-hybrid technologies could be deployed by two-thirds of all vehicles sold by the year 2020. This is according to a forecast by Johnson Controls. To help lower the technology’s manufacturing costs, the batteries have been designed with a standardized size and components. Generally, it has been projected that the automotive batteries’ market will expand rapidly to include more plug-in and hybrid technologies in the future.