Inventing The

Low-voltage vehicle electrification, such as Micro Hybrid battery systems, bridges the gap between conventional vehicle battery technology and full hybrid electric vehicle technology. Micro Hybrid systems use dual battery architecture to reduce vehicles’ annual fuel consumption by as much as 15 percent.
The first 48-volt Micro Hybrid battery system was introduced in 2013, following investment and research into advanced battery technologies that improve the fuel efficiency of traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles while avoiding the costs associated with full hybrid electric vehicle technologies.
Leveraging dual voltage architecture, Micro Hybrid battery systems integrate a 12-volt lead-acid starter battery and a 48-volt lithium-ion battery. The 12-volt battery powers conventional electrical systems (e.g., vehicle starter), while the lithium-ion battery is designed to quickly capture energy from braking and run vehicle accessories that require higher power (e.g., air conditioning). While a conventional hybrid vehicle battery pack typically consists of 300–400 volts and improves fuel economy by 25–30 percent, Micro Hybrid systems are just 48 volts and improve fuel economy by up to 15 percent.
Business Roundtable members are creating technologies that actively contribute to a more efficient, secure and sustainable future for their customers and the public at large.
In Inventing the Future: How Technology Is Reshaping the Energy and Environmental Landscape Business Roundtable highlights just a small sample of technologies that are actively contributing to a more efficient, secure and sustainable future.
Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies working to promote a thriving economy and expanded opportunity for all Americans through sound public policy.