AGM Battery Applications: Start-Stop Vehicles, Large Audio Systems, Heated Seats and Other Electronic Accessories. If you’re looking to power a vehicle with numerous electronic features or plug-in accessories, you should consider a deep-cycle battery, or a battery made with advanced technology like AGM. AGM batteries are a great premium choice for high-end and advanced fuel-efficient vehicles with large power demands, and for people who seek greater reliability and longer life in auto batteries. Electronic features such as DVD players, GPS, heated seats, and audio systems all add to the demands on a battery.

Start-Stop Vehicles: AGM batteries are also the preferred solution for start-stop vehicle technology, which rapidly gained popularity in Europe and entered the U.S. market in model-year 2013 vehicles. Start-stop vehicle technology automatically shuts off the engine when your vehicle stops, such as at a traffic light or in stop-and-go traffic and restarts it quickly and quietly when the clutch is engaged, or the brake pedal is released. When the engine is off, the battery is the sole source of power to all the car’s electrical devices, such as air conditioning, the radio, and the navigation system. And, in advanced start-stop systems with features like regenerative braking or passive boost, the battery is stressed even more. To power electrical loads during engine-off periods and to support a high number of starts per trip, these vehicles need a battery that is more robust than the typical lead-acid battery. With superior cycling capability, charge acceptance and the ability to operate at a low state of charge, AGM is the technology of choice.

AGM Battery Construction: In AGM batteries, the positive and negative plates are separated by an absorbent glass mat that absorbs and holds the battery’s acid and prevents it from flowing freely inside the battery. The plates are tightly compressed into each cell and held under pressure in the plastic case. The internal compression limits the shedding of plate material caused by cycling and allows for significantly longer life. The element compression also lowers internal resistance and maximizes pulse power output. A rigid container maintains the necessary compression throughout the battery’s life. The basic design also includes relief venting to release pressure from minor gassing that occurs during charging. The valves open at low pressure and close automatically to prevent air from leaking into the battery.