Hella Develops Products for Energy Management in Vehicles

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Hella, a major automotive electronics supplier, is developing two energy-management products to improve the performance of vehicle electric systems – a voltage stabilizer and a DC/DC converter.

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Hella's voltage stabilizers are critical components for fuel-saving and start-stop engine systems.  The stabilizers supply a constant output for voltage-critical loads in systems that require a steady flow of voltage, such as navigation displays, lights or radios. Even at a traffic signal, for example, lighting, safety-displays or audio-system disruptions can be distracting to the driver.

Hella's bi-directional DC/DC converters connect power networks with two different voltage levels – especially useful on hybrid-vehicles that use different power levels. When the vehicle engine needs to deliver power in a variety of levels, a converter controls the output.  

Hella was the first major auto supplier to introduce 200-watt voltage stabilizers in 2007 for use in BMW and Volkswagen vehicles. The company's 400-watt stabilizers already are in production with plans underway for a second generation of 200-watt stabilizers in the near future.

Dr. Martin Fischer, president of Hella Electronics Corporation and head of Hella's Corporate Center USA, both in Plymouth Township, Michigan, said that voltage stabilizers are more commonly used on vehicles in Europe due to a higher manual-transmission usage rate. "Now that automatic transmissions can use start-stop technology, auto manufacturers throughout the world are expressing additional interest in voltage stabilizers."

Discussing DC/DC converters, Fischer pointed out that a heated front windshield is an electrical feature that needs additional power. Hella's DC/DC converters can triple a battery's current output by boosting power to the windshield heater to create a clearer, safer view for drivers.

Since 2002, Hella has produced more than nine million DC/DC converters and voltage stabilizers.

About Hella:  Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. develops and manufactures lighting and electronics components and systems for the automotive industry. Its joint venture companies also produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle electric systems. In addition, Hella has one of the largest automotive aftermarket organizations in the world, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries.

Hella Group sales were $4.98 billion in fiscal year 2009-2010. Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 23,000 people work at 70 locations in more than 30 countries, including more than 3,500 research-and-development engineers and technicians. Additional information is available at www.hella.com.

Note to Editors:  Photos and additional information are available on request or from Hella's press database at www.hella-press.de.

SOURCE Hella

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