How the 12-volt lead-acid battery is powering the future of vehicle technology
As vehicles become more electrified and more autonomous, the 12-volt advanced lead-acid battery is taking on new and challenging responsibilities. Here’s how it remains a critical source of power across the evolving range of vehicles.
1. Providing more power throughout the drive
Today’s automotive battery must do much more than start the car or keep the radio playing at the end of the drive. The amount of power consumed by vehicle features and electronic devices has doubled in the past 10 years and is projected to double again in the next five. The 12-volt battery plays a critical role in supporting the car’s electrical network throughout the drive, powering everything from heated seats and infotainment systems to cutting-edge safety features like pedestrian detection systems.
2. Enabling all-electric vehicles
Electric vehicles require two interdependent batteries: a high-voltage battery that powers the drivetrain, and an advanced 12-volt battery that handles key offloads. Drivers rely on the 12-volt battery to safely initialize the high-voltage battery, and to power vehicle applications when the high-voltage system is disengaged. In turn, the high-voltage battery recharges the 12-volt battery and supports loads during the drive cycle.
3. Ensuring crucial safety functions
The automotive industry is moving beyond simple safety and convenience features to advanced driver assistance systems and, ultimately, to fully autonomous vehicles – both internal combustion and all-electric. The 12-volt battery ensures that autonomous systems are fail-safe, operating even if a car’s primary power source stops functioning.
4. Promoting 99% recyclability
The lead-acid battery is one of only a few products in the world that can be used, recycled and remanufactured almost completely into a new version of the same product. In mature markets, these batteries are recycled at a rate of nearly 100%. And using old batteries instead of virgin materials to produce new batteries takes 90% less energy and produces 90% less greenhouse gas.
AGM: an advanced lead-acid solution
The 12-volt battery is critical to evolving vehicle technologies—and AGM technology is the preferred battery choice. It delivers better performance and higher reliability, essential for meeting growing power demands. AGM batteries also weigh less and can be placed anywhere in a vehicle, offering manufacturers more flexibility.
Engineering the next generation of the 12-volt automotive battery is just one way Clarios is powering what’s next in energy storage systems. We offer the broadest and most efficient portfolio of batteries, for virtually every type of vehicle. We are more than ready to meet increased storage demands with products that deliver uniquely sustainable performance.