AGM: Powering the Needs of Tomorrow’s Vehicles, Today
Historically, the primary job of an automotive battery has been simple: to start the car and – in the event of an alternator failure – safely stop the car.
Today, the automotive battery is required to do much more. The number of electrical devices in vehicles has tripled in the past 10 years and is expected to double in the next five. Meanwhile, the power consumed by these devices has doubled in the past 10 years and is projected to double again in the next five years. From powering cutting-edge safety features like pedestrian detection systems to handling the electrical load of simultaneously charging multiple devices, the battery plays an increasingly crucial role.
As consumers demand an ever-growing array of vehicle features for comfort, safety and convenience, they may not think about how those features are powered. Fortunately, Clarios is thinking about it, as are OEMs and aftermarket customers who want to keep vehicles running efficiently and sustainably and keep consumers happy.
At Clarios, we’re advancing battery technology to meet the demands of power-hungry vehicles—vehicles with greater connectivity, more autonomous features and increasing electrification. That includes start-stop applications, which reduce CO2 emissions but place greater electrical and cycling demands on the battery.
Our absorbent glass mat (AGM) batteries, for example, are precision-engineered to meet the specific needs of OEMs and aftermarket customers, standing tough where traditional or enhanced flooded batteries may fail. Market researchers say battery failure is now the third most commonly reported vehicle problem—and the top 20 models with highest battery replacement rates all used a flooded battery. We introduced AGM batteries nearly 30 years ago, and our newest offerings take the AGM lead- acid battery to new levels. These AGM batteries handle the higher number of charge cycles in a start-stop application while still delivering long life and eliminating the potential for acid leakage, ensuring consumer safety and satisfaction. Additionally, our AGM batteries can support nearly 90 percent of the cars in the U.S. that require a replacement battery for high electrical loads and start-stop technology.
Our R&D teams continue to unlock advanced lead-acid battery capabilities. With OEMs, we’re testing next-generation high-performance AGM lead-acid batteries to further reduce CO2 emissions and avoid the need to go to 12-volt lithium systems.
Equally important is a battery that can enable a circular economy. Up to 99 percent of the materials in our lead-acid batteries today can be recovered, recycled and remade. And by using recycled raw materials, we lower energy and greenhouse gas emissions 90 percent.
Nearly all vehicles on the road today have a lead-acid battery. More and more have multiple lead-acid batteries as vehicles evolve from the standard combustion engine, through start-stop, hybrid and electric vehicles. In every instance, an AGM battery delivers the required power and performance to support the advancement and evolution for tomorrow’s vehicles.