Application of Power Glory Lithium Micro Power Sources in the Automotive Field

Application of Power Glory Lithium Micro Power Sources in the Automotive Field

Besides the traction battery that powers the vehicle, an automobile contains numerous coin-sized batteries scattered throughout—hidden inside tires, key fobs, and circuit boards, operating quietly for years or even over a decade.

These small batteries share a common name: lithium micro power sources. Although they do not drive the vehicle, they play critical roles in key functions such as safety alarms, identity authentication, and long-term standby monitoring.

Power Glory (Stock Code: 920237) has been deeply engaged in the field of lithium micro power sources for over two decades. It is a national-level "Little Giant" enterprise specializing in niche sectors and one of the drafting units for primary battery national standards. This article systematically reviews the application scenarios, model selection logic, and underlying automotive-grade capabilities of Power Glory lithium micro power sources in vehicles.

I. Clarifying the Positioning: What Do Automotive Lithium Micro Power Sources Do?

Before discussing specific applications, let us clarify one point: lithium micro power sources in vehicles perform "micro-power, long-term standby" tasks rather than "main power supply" functions.

Watt-level devices in smart vehicles—such as Sentry Mode cameras, NFC readers, and OTA upgrade modules—are powered by the 12V auxiliary battery. In contrast, lithium micro power sources serve a different operating condition: devices remain in deep sleep for the vast majority of the time and are awakened only upon a trigger event to complete data collection, timing, or RF transmission.

 This operational mode—characterized by "microampere-level consumption during standby and millisecond-level pulse discharge upon activation"—imposes three common requirements on batteries:

 • Long Service Life & Maintenance-Free: Once assembled, devices are often unreplaceable for years, requiring extremely low self-discharge and a long-term stable discharge platform;

• Wide Temperature Range & Mechanical Resilience: Must withstand high-and-low temperature cycling, vibration, shock, and centrifugal forces;

• High Pulse Discharge Capability: Capable of delivering sufficient current upon wake-up without significant voltage drop.

Power Glory's automotive solutions primarily feature the Lithium-Manganese Dioxide (Li/MnO₂, i.e., CR series, nominal 3V) chemistry. As one of the earliest commercialized and most widely adopted primary lithium battery systems, it features a flat discharge curve, fast pulse response, zero gas generation from the solid cathode, excellent safety, and high cost-effectiveness, making it the mainstream choice for automotive micro-power applications.

II. Core Application Scenarios

1. TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System): The Most Stringent Mandated Safety Component

 The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is another mandated automotive safety product following ABS and airbags. Vehicles equipped with direct TPMS feature a sensor embedded inside each tire, encapsulated together with a battery to monitor pressure and temperature in real time and transmit data wirelessly—typically four units per vehicle. This is one of the most demanding application environments for batteries in automotive settings:

 • Ultra-Wide Temperature Range: Operating temperatures inside tires fluctuate drastically, requiring batteries to operate reliably within approximately -40°C to +125°C;

 • Vibration & Centrifugal Force Resistance: High-speed rolling, acceleration/deceleration, and cornering generate continuous vibration and mechanical compression, requiring batteries to avoid displacement, cracking, or leakage;

 • Ultra-Long Maintenance-Free Service Life: Encapsulated within the tire, sensors cannot be replaced, requiring a design life typically ranging from 5 to 10 years.

 To address these harsh conditions, Power Glory launched the CR-HT wide-temperature (high-temperature resistant) series coin cells. Featuring a unique material formulation, specialized manufacturing process, and proprietary anti-leakage structure, this series has been deployed in temperature-demanding applications such as automotive TPMS modules.

 CR-HT Series Key Specifications:

2. Remote Key Fobs & Digital Keys: From Button Remotes to UWB

Automotive key fobs represent the most widespread application of lithium micro batteries in vehicles. Traditional key fobs predominantly use CR2032, typically requiring 1 to 2 units per vehicle. With the proliferation of Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS), push-button start, and the emergence of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) digital keys, key fobs demand significantly higher pulse discharge capabilities from batteries.

When approaching to unlock, waking up PEPS, or executing UWB high-frequency ranging and RF signal transmission, next-generation smart keys demand peak RF currents significantly higher than conventional remotes. Standard batteries under such loads are prone to sudden voltage drops, reduced remote range, or lost signals.

To solve this, Power Glory introduced the CR-PH high-pulse, high-capacity series:

• P (High Power / High Pulse): Through material formulation optimization and structural enhancements, the maximum pulse discharge current is increased by approximately 20% compared to standard models of the same size;

 • H (High Capacity): Nominal capacity is increased by approximately 10%–20% compared to standard models of the same size, providing longer battery replacement intervals.

CR-PH Series Key Models:

(The evolution of digital keys highlights another notable trend: when a smartphone acts as a car key, even if its main battery is fully depleted, it still relies on an internal backup power source for short-range unlocking. This "last-mile reliability" further underlines the critical value of highly dependable micro power sources.)

3. BMS Real-Time Clock (RTC) Backup: Main Growth Driver in New Energy Vehicles

The main control board of a Battery Management System (BMS) requires a micro battery to power its Real-Time Clock (RTC) module. During deep vehicle sleep when the main MCU is powered off, the RTC operates at an ultra-low current consumption (approx. 0.3–0.5 μA) to maintain timekeeping, periodically waking up the BMS to execute cell voltage/temperature sampling and static SOC recalibration.

This application commonly adopts models such as CR2032 or BR2330. Traditional ICE vehicles lack traction battery packs and BMS, making this backup battery a unique requirement for New Energy Vehicles (NEVs).

4. On-Board ETC & Smart Highways

In Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) On-Board Units (OBUs) and highway transit cards, batteries are required to maintain low-power standby over extended periods while delivering stable pulses during transactions. Power Glory's CR series (including wide-temperature models) fits these smart highway scenarios, fulfilling requirements for long-term standby and reliable transaction power.

5. RTC & Backup Power for Other Controllers

Select vehicle T-Box communication modules and Vehicle Control Units (VCUs) also require independent RTC clocks or short-term backup power, occasionally incorporating additional micro batteries such as CR2032 or CR1220, depending on the specific vehicle electronic architecture design.

III. Behind High Barriers to Entry: Power Glory's Automotive-Grade Capabilities

Automotive applications represent a classic "micro-power, high-barrier" market. Power Glory's entry into this supply chain relies on comprehensive automotive-grade capabilities rather than a single standalone product.

1. Automotive Quality Management System

Power Glory is certified under the IATF 16949 Automotive Quality Management System, along with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, and QC080000 management systems. IATF 16949 is a crucial prerequisite for entering the global automotive supply chain, ensuring that product development and manufacturing processes fulfill automotive-grade consistency and traceability mandates.

2. Comprehensive Wide-Temperature Product Matrix

Addressing complex in-vehicle thermal environments, Power Glory has established a differentiated temperature product line: CR-HT high-temperature series (up to +125°C), CR-D low-temperature series (down to approx. -55°C), CR-T wide-temperature series, as well as standard CR and CR-PH series, enabling precise matching based on sensor mounting location and operating conditions.

3. Accumulation of Material & Process Expertise

Superior wide-temperature and long-life performance stem from foundational technology: heat treatment and doping modification of Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide (EMD) cathodes optimize crystal structure stability and ion diffusion under extreme temperatures; high-temperature electrolyte formulations, heat-resistant sealing structures, and laser/precision encapsulation processes collectively guarantee high-temperature storage life and anti-leakage reliability.

4. Certification, Scale & Consistency

Products have passed UL, CE, RoHS, UN38.3 certifications and tests, with technical specifications benchmarked against IEC international standards and Japanese JIS C8512 standards. Operating a monthly capacity exceeding 66 million units, complemented by automated production lines and AI vision inspection systems, the company ensures strict quality consistency during mass delivery—a capability most highly valued by OEM tier-1 supply chains.

IV. Future Outlook & Trends

Automotive electrification and intelligence continue to expand the application boundaries of lithium micro power sources.

• Regulatory Mandates Driving TPMS Expansion: OEM fitment rates for TPMS in domestic passenger cars are already high, while mandatory installation policies for commercial vehicles (including hazardous materials transport vehicles) are taking effect. Overseas markets are also exploring stricter monitoring standards (such as dual-sensor architecture proposals), offering room for growth in per-vehicle sensor count.

• Accelerated Adoption of Digital Keys: Technical roadmaps such as UWB and NearLink, along with national standards, continue to advance, driving up digital key penetration. High-frequency ranging and "always-ready" states demand higher pulse performance and lower self-discharge rates from batteries.

 • NEV Penetration Amplifying Incremental Demand: Unique requirements such as BMS RTC backup will continue to grow rapidly alongside the expanding NEV vehicle base.

Small batteries concern big safety. From tire pressure sensors standing guard inside tires for a decade, to backup power sources that unlock car doors even when a smartphone battery runs out, Power Glory lithium micro power sources provide stable, reliable, and automotive-grade power solutions for every invisible yet mission-critical application.

In the future, Power Glory will continue to focus on key sectors such as automotive electronics, leveraging material and process innovations to provide global customers with a broader range of micro power products and customized solutions.