Mahle Powertrain has shown a prototype 48 volt battery for use in mild-hybrid vehicles.
The supplier said it was working on maximising recuperated energy stored and released and claims fuel savings of between 12% and 15% are possible.
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"With this development, [we are] increasing the capabilities of 48-volt systems, which offer major safety and cost advantages when compared with high-voltage systems," Mahle said.
Because high storage capacity is not required for MHEV applications as the recuperated energy can be deployed during the next acceleration, a compact and cost effective battery capable of high charge and discharge power levels relative to its storage capacity (high C-rates) is desirable.
Mahle claims no suitable low-cost, compact batteries were able to deal with the necessary recharge/discharge cycles involving high currents, so it decided to develop its own.
The LTO chemistry in the selected cells allows continuous charge/discharge rates of 10kW and peak rates for short periods up to 20 kW from a battery pack that has only 0.5 kWh storage capacity.
Testing of the first prototype is under way. The next step will be to install the prototype pack into a 48V eSupercharged extreme downsizing demonstrator vehicle.
