HANOVER, Germany — Volkswagen recently honored a new Johnson Controls battery with its Group Award.

Johnson Controls has worked with Volkswagen to develop a unique new battery for Start-Stop vehicles that is both high-performance and more resistant to heat. This operation, which will be further developed for heat resistance, supports Volkswagen in the implementation of its sustainability strategy over all climate zones

Experts agree that electromobility will be achieved in several individual steps.

"In the next few years, the demand for cars at the first hybridization stage of Start-Stop technology will be greatest. Solutions that reduce the fuel consumption and emissions in these cars are in particular demand," says Eric Mitchell, vice president and general manager at Johnson Controls Power Solutions EMEA.

Johnson Controls’ solution, the AGM battery (Absorbent Glass Mat), is the heart of the sustainable energy storage system. In Start-Stop technology, the engine switches off automatically when the car is stopped and is reactivated when the driver operates the clutch or the accelerator. This places extra requirements on the battery, which demands advanced battery technology to support. An AGM battery allows the engine to start-up automatically, while still providing power for lights and radio at all times.
 
The new technology improves the performance and life of AGM batteries, especially in environments with high heat. By modifications to the negative mass in the battery, the energy store becomes more corrosion-resistant and has a lower water consumption. This gives car manufacturers flexibility to integrate the battery into the vehicle where high temperatures generally arise. It is also an advantage in hot climates where there is already a high temperature under the bonnet while the car is parked.
 
Experts from Volkswagen and Johnson Controls developed the technology in Hanover. The battery is produced in Zwickau and Hanover in the standard sizes L5, L6 and L7 and supplied to almost all Volkswagen Group production sites in Europe. This high-performance and environmentally friendly new battery is for use in all BlueMotion models with Start-Stop function. In the future, it also will be available in several other vehicles.