Low-voltage battery solutions manufacturer Clarios and sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery technology developer Altris have partnered to develop low-voltage Na-ion batteries for the automotive industry.

The development of Na-ion batteries has been steadily gaining traction in an effort to produce energy storage solutions that do not require costly and sometimes rare materials, such as cobalt and lithium.

Every vehicle, including hybrid-electric and electric vehicles, requires a low-voltage energy source to power critical systems and functions. 

As hybrid and electric vehicles continue to evolve, their low-voltage networks are being asked to support an increasing number of software-based functions, such as steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, autonomous functions and enhanced in-cabin experiences.

This transformation is leading automakers to explore multibattery solutions that include lithium-ion, absorbent glass mat lead-acid batteries and other chemistries. 

Na-ion batteries are viewed as inherently sustainable and easy to recycle, as they are made from salt, wood, iron and air. 

“The materials used to produce Na-ion cells are abundant and available – free from conflict minerals and toxic elements,” add Clarios and Altris in a statement.

The new joint collaboration aims to develop an Na-ion battery with a potential of up to 60 V to support automotive applications in both new vehicles and for aftermarket replacements, and also one that can complement a multibattery low-voltage system configuration.

“Clarios brings extensive experience with low-voltage systems within the automotive sector and will play a leading role in defining and optimising the specifications for sodium-ion cells,” says Clarios global customers, products and engineering GM Federico Morales Zimmermann.

Altris, an expert in Na-ion cathode material and battery cell technology, will focus on the development of Na-ion cells specifically adapted to the needs of the low-voltage automotive battery market.

“We’re continuously investigating new applications where our technology can make significant impact at massive scale,” says Altris CEO Björn Mårlid.

“With this partnership, we’re able to access every third vehicle driven globally and accelerate the green transition.”

The long-term goal driving the joint programme is to develop a detailed production plan for low-voltage battery systems using Na-ion cells. 

The companies believe the mass production of Na-ion batteries will represent an important advancement in automotive battery technology and an important step in supporting the circularity goals of the automotive industry.

Altris is a Swedish Na-ion battery developer, born out of the Ångström Laboratory at Uppsala University.

Clarios produces low-voltage battery technologies for the mobility sector and has 16 000 employees in more than a 100 countries.