Clarios, a supplier of low-voltage energy storage systems for the automotive industry, has acquired Maxwell Technologies, a manufacturer of supercapacitor cells and modules used in mobility, grid, transportation, and industrial applications. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition expands Clarios’ capabilities in high-power, short-duration energy storage. Supercapacitors differ from conventional batteries by charging and discharging rapidly and tolerating high cycle counts. They’re commonly used to buffer transient loads, support peak power events, and provide backup power across a wide range of operating temperatures.
These characteristics are increasingly relevant in electric vehicles, where low-voltage systems must supply stable power to safety, computing, and thermal-management functions independent of the high-voltage traction battery.
Clarios noted that the addition of Maxwell supports its efforts to build a stable supercapacitor supply chain for its automotive customers in the US and globally.
Supercapacitors can complement low-voltage lithium and AGM batteries by providing peak power for steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, ADAS sensors, and other systems that require high reliability and fast response. As OEMs evaluate transitions to 48-V architectures and more power-dense electronics, supercapacitor modules also provide a path to reducing stress on low-voltage batteries and enhancing overall system resilience.
Maxwell Technologies has produced more than 85 million supercapacitor cells and has deployed systems across grid stabilization, transportation, industrial automation, and backup power applications. This experience provides Clarios with additional engineering and manufacturing capabilities that can support both automotive and non-automotive programs.
Clarios will operate Maxwell Technologies as an independent US-based business unit.
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