Automotive battery producer PowerGenix has entered into a deal with the French car maker PSA Peugeot-Citroen to evaluate the use of PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries as a replacement for lead-acid in stop-start vehicles.
As part of the deal, the carmaker and PowerGenix will work together to check several aspects of performance improvements, including high sustained charge acceptance, weight savings and service life improvements of the batteries in stop-start vehicle applications.
PowerGenix Systems Engineering director Salil Soman said the company looks forward to working together to fully adapt and integrate its NiZn batteries into the carmaker's vehicles.
"This is a promising milestone for NiZn, which is poised to capitalize on a rapidly expanding market for stop-start technology," Soman added.
Both the companies will also examine battery sizing, cost projections, in-service life evaluation and safety analysis of the batteries by performing tests under various temperatures to validate NiZn's performance at extreme temperatures.
Following the completion of tests during the contract period, PowerGenix NiZn batteries are expected to be fully designed for Peugeot and ready for integration into vehicles.
PSA Peugeot Citroen innovation team manager Bernard Sahut said, "NiZn holds the potential to provide an ideal replacement for lead-acid by reducing the weight and CO2 emissions of our stop-start engine vehicles."
