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Innovation for a cleaner planet

VARTA® Start-Stop battery at forefront of reducing vehicle emissions, protecting environment

In response to climate change, governments around the world are increasing environmental regulations on vehicles to improve vehicle fuel economy and reduce emissions. For example, Europe has stipulated that by 2012, emissions from 65 percent of vehicles on its roads be reduced to 130 grams of CO2 per kilometer. By 2015, the number of vehicles expected to conform is 100 percent, followed by a mandate that by 2020 CO2 emissions be dropped to 95 g/km. 

Start-Stop technology helps cars do just that. The engine shuts off when the driver stops for a red light or heavy traffic. There’s no idling, no fuel consumed, no emissions. The engine restarts when the driver puts the car back in gear. 

Our VARTA® brand Start-Stop batteries have become the world leader, as a result of our superior Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) product technology and continuous innovation.

The opportunity

The growth opportunity is enormous. By 2015, more than 35 million Start-Stop vehicles globally will be built each year.

How the innovation works

Start-Stop systems use energy from the battery, as opposed to engine, to power cars’ electrical systems. To reduce emissions and save on fuel, the car equipped with Start-Stop is designed to switch off the engine when the vehicle is at a red light or in a traffic jam. While the engine is off, the VARTA® Start-Stop battery not only powers the vehicle’s electrical systems, such as the radio, lights and other electronics, but also enables the engine to restart in a fraction of a second when the driver engages the clutch and is ready to go again. In addition to reducing emissions, Start-Stop technology improves fuel economy 5 to 12 percent in new vehicles.

Value requirements

For automotive manufacturers
Rather than radically changing the already highly cost-effective and successful internal combustion engine, automotive manufacturers are looking at other ways to meet emissions standards, such as Start-Stop technology. They want to leverage the strengths of internal combustion engines while improving fuel economy and lowering CO2 output. 

For consumers
Vehicle owners need cars that meet emissions standards. They are also looking for greater fuel efficiency and demand complete reliability. Start-Stop batteries meet all of these requirements. 

Applying innovation to deliver value

Getting even more out of Start-Stop battery technology
Power Solutions is asking questions such as “Does our battery have to be this way?” “Are there other tools we can use?” and “What’s next?” to make fundamental improvements in VARTA® Start-Stop batteries that will help automotive manufacturers maximize performance, reduce vehicle and fuel costs, and meet emissions regulations. To do this, our team is looking at improving battery performance, battery design and the length of time the battery can cycle before needing to be recharged. 

Anticipating what customers want – before they even know they need it
For Power Solutions, innovation also consists of not merely reacting to, but anticipating customer needs – through daily contact, being in customers’ plants and talking to their systems people and designers. As Start-Stop is adopted in other countries such as China, Japan and the United States, innovation will also mean employing different strategies to tailor our technology solutions and services to support the unique needs of each market.

Value created

Start-Stop is becoming a rapidly adopted technology. By 2015, it is estimated that 70 percent of the cars in Europe alone will have Start-Stop technology. Globally, the market is expected to exceed 35 million Start-Stop batteries. 

For automotive manufacturers
In Johnson Controls, customers have a partner that is moving right alongside them as demand grows, one that is having better conversations with them, anticipating their needs and reacting quickly with improvements that increase performance. Customers are also successfully manufacturing cars with internal combustion engines that meet increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, and deliver real value in performance and fuel economy at a minimal cost to consumers. 

For consumers
By using Start-Stop, consumers are meeting environmental requirements and achieving 5 to 12 percent in fuel savings for new vehicles, depending on the Start-Stop vehicle they drive. 

For Johnson Controls
This opportunity has made the VARTA® Start-Stop battery the most recognizable and respected brand in the marketplace. In New York City in April, we won bronze at the internationally known 2011 Edison Best New Product Award for our VARTA® Start-Stop batteries in the category Energy and Sustainability: Sustainable Power Systems Segment. The award is named after well-known U.S. inventor Thomas Alva Edison. 

MY DEMO DRIVE
My Demo Drive See how you can cut your fuel bill with a virtual test drive of hybrid electric and Start-Stop vehicles. more
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