Johnson Controls Expanding Start-Stop Battery Plant

AutoInformed.com

The global Start-Stop market for new vehicles could reach 53 million annually by 2020.

Johnson Controls today said it is expanding the production of advanced batteries for Start-Stop vehicles because of growing demand for better fuel economy. The company will increase its existing Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery capacity in its Toledo, Ohio plant, bringing the overall investment to $130 million since the start of production for this technology in the U.S. in 2012. The technology gained its popularity in Europe followed by the U.S. and China.

Start-Stop allows up to a 5% fuel economy improvement when compared with a conventional vehicle. The technology automatically shuts off the engine when the car is idle and restarts it when the driver’s foot leaves the brake pedal. During this time, the vehicle’s electrical systems use energy from an advanced lead-acid battery rather than the gas-powered engine, thus saving fuel.

“Most auto makers have already announced plans to have a majority of new vehicles equipped with Start-Stop or similar technology within the next three to five years,” adds Oklobdzija. “Our battery supply contracts for the Ford F-150 and Chevy Malibu underscore this trend, which predicts about 9 million Start-Stop vehicles will be on the road in the U.S. by 2020.”

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