Clarios is a $10 billion global company you've never heard of. Which is funny. Because you probably use its products every day both in your personal vehicles and in the trucks your fleet runs. That's because Clarios is far and away the largest producer of low-voltage automotive batteries in the world, producing over 150 million batteries a year. It's also a technology leader that is stepping out of the shadows and taking a more high-visibility image in the trucking industry now.

Why now? Because, according to company officials, the tidal wave of transformtion sweeping through the trucking industry today is leaving now component or system on trucks alone. Even the humble battery will soon see a host of changes and new introductions from Clarios aimed at dealing with the exponential increase in power demands both internal and external in trucks today.

Moreover Clarios is exploring new types of batteries for commercial vehicles, pioneering connected batteries that can alert drivers to start a truck before charge levels are insuffcient to start the vehicle. The system can also alert technicians when a battery is about to go bad, so it can be replaced before a costly failure on the road happens.

The Demand for More Power

And Clarios kicked off this coming run of new products at the IAA Transportation Show in Hannover, Germany, Clarios announced an agreement to develop 24-volt lithium-ion batteries for heavy-duty applications. Clarios is working together with a major European commercial truck manufacturer on the technology.

Clarios noted that trends in trucking are focused on the integration of more electrical devices, such as parking, heating, and cooling systems, to enhance driver comfort.

Other electrification trends, including the shift of auxiliaries from hydraulic and air pressure systems to electric ones, and the implementation of emerging “by-wire” technologies like brake-by-wire and steer-by-wire, are significantly impacting the low-voltage power network in commercial vehicles and trucks.

 These advancements, along with increased demands from Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), infotainment, and connectivity, are transforming heavy-duty vehicles and raising safety requirements and the need for redundancy in Electrical/Electronic (E/E) architecture.

Current energy demands may require up to 30 percent more battery capacity during an overnight stay, with improved hoteling comfort features contributing to higher electrical loads and anti-idle limitations resulting in deeper charge cycles of up to 80 percent daily.

Clarios noted that lithium-ion systems are an excellent fit for these new demands, offering versatile electrochemistry with multiple design options.

Clarios said its lithium-Ion system is robust enough to withstand the harsh vibrations of over-the-road trucking and integrates seamlessly with all necessary safety and autonomous-driving functions.

Better Power Management

The enhanced performance supports overnight stays without idling and powers the low-voltage network, enabling cabin comfort features and key-off loads, such as over-the-air software updates when needed.

In line with its commitment to expanding the portfolio beyond current AGM battery offerings, Clarios said it is also exploring future technologies, including Sodium-Ion and other chemistries.

This approach allows Clarios to remain adaptable and responsive to the evolving needs of the heavy-duty market, without being confined to a single technology.

“Battery failure can account for as much as 20 percent of a truck’s downtime,” said Federico Morales Zimmermann, vice president and GM, Global Customers, Products and Engineering at Clarios. “Our new 24-volt lithium-ion battery for heavy-duty fleets not only addresses this challenge by reducing downtime but also introduces advanced energy management capabilities that optimize the overall efficiency of fleet operations. By integrating smart diagnostics and predictive maintenance features, these batteries allow operators to anticipate and prevent failures before they occur, resulting in significant savings on emergency repairs and premature replacements. We are planning to market this development in EMEA under VARTA Automotive, Europe’s leading brand for low-voltage batteries, further solidifying our position as innovators in fleet electrification and power management solutions.”