The Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC) will show a modified Ford Focus and Kia Optima that utilize an advanced 48-volt lead-carbon battery to meet U.S. fuel efficiency standards and reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 15-20% before 2021.

The exhibition will be held Jun 14-17 at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference, according to the company.

The 48-volt Kia Optima T-Hybrid and the ADEPT, which is based on the Ford Focus, will be featured and utilize an advanced 48-volt lead-carbon battery system with bolt-on electrical components that allow for engine-downsizing. The engine downsizing means less fuel usage and subsequently much lower emissions compared to the base vehicle. With the Kia Optima, the system provides a 16% reduction compared to the standard model.

“The low additional cost of introducing 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrains utilizing the significant benefits of advanced lead-carbon batteries is continuing to attract automakers because it is the most cost-effective means of complying with CAFE fuel economy standards and stringent emissions regulations over the next 10 years,” said Alistair Davidson, representing ALABC.

The LC SuperHybrid based on a 1.4L Volkswagen Passat, a previous ALABC demonstration vehicle that was fitted with advanced lead carbon batteries, provided the basis for a propulsion system that can achieve 44.2 mpg and a 15-20% reduction in emissions while increasing the performance to that of a larger engine size model.

Advanced lead batteries have excellent sustainability credentials and are recycled in a closed loop. They are cheaper than alternative automotive battery technologies, according to ALABC.