Data Science Intern

Clarios deepens strategic engineering partnership in europe to develop sodium-ion batteries. 2 October 2026 12:45 Clarios, a global leader in advanced low-voltage energy storage solutions and owner of Varta Automotive, and Piaxo, a Romanian automotive engineering company, are deepening their strategic engineering partnership in Romania to support innovation, international engineering collaboration, and future mobility solutions. By expanding R&D activity in Romania, the partnership supports Clarios' growing European technology footprint in advanced battery and low-voltage systems. Credit: Clarios From the left -Dr. Alexander von Laack, Chief Technology Officer, Clarios, and Ion Petic, Chief Executive Officer, Piaxo The partnership connects Piaxo's multidisciplinary engineering capabilities in a new Timișoara centre with Clarios' global technology organisation while maintaining both companies as separate organisations with distinct roles and responsibilities. The new centre supports R&D projects in areas such as battery management systems (BMS) for next-generation energy storage solutions, including sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries, as well as inverter and supercapacitor technologies essential for modern vehicles and safety-critical functions. Since the start of the collaboration, Piaxo has continued to expand its engineering organisation in Timișoara and today employs nearly fifty engineering professionals. The team contributes expertise across disciplines relevant to advanced low-voltage systems development, including software, systems engineering, validation and related engineering activities. The announcement comes as Piaxo expands into its mixed-use ISHO office location in Timișoara, with engineering facilities and a development and testing laboratory. The location provides a foundation for cross-functional engineering, advanced validation, expertise development and international collaboration in one of Romania's important technology hubs. The collaboration highlights the quality of Piaxo's engineering environment, the relevance of Timișoara as a technology location in the European automotive landscape, and the shared ambition of both companies to support complex engineering work through international collaboration. It also reinforces Piaxo's role as a Romanian engineering company contributing to future mobility solutions. "This partnership with Piaxo supports our broader technology transformation and strengthens how we collaborate across engineering disciplines," said Dr. Alexander van Laack, Chief Technology Officer, Clarios. "As low-voltage systems become more advanced, connected and software-enabled, partnerships like this help us combine complementary expertise in a structured and globally connected engineering environment." For Piaxo, the collaboration strengthens its position as a trusted technology partner and employer in the Romanian market. "Our engineering facilities and development laboratory in Timișoara mark an important step in the development of our engineering capabilities," said Ion Petic, Chief Executive Officer, Piaxo. "Our collaboration with Clarios creates opportunities for our engineers to contribute to globally relevant engineering work, build specialised expertise and collaborate with international engineering teams on increasingly complex technology programmes." The collaboration reflects Clarios' evolution toward more advanced, connected and software-enabled low-voltage systems. It also highlights how Piaxo's engineering capabilities in Romania support engineering processes, technology development, validation and globally relevant product development objectives.

Inspiring curiosity today to power the innovators of tomorrow. Clarios sparks STEM curiosity in young readers through Battery Town, a children's book that makes energy storage fun and accessible. Why STEM education starts with asking questions. At Clarios, Clarios believe that innovation begins with curiosity. Long before young people choose a career path, develop technical skills, or become the engineers, scientists and problem-solvers of tomorrow, they start by asking simple questions about how the world works. Supporting education and helping the next generation develop an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is an important part of how Clarios contribute to the communities where Clarios live and work. That is why Clarios is proud to partner with the author of The Curious Crew Explores children's book series to develop its newest title, Battery Town. The book introduces young readers to the fascinating world of energy storage through storytelling, imagination and discovery. Making invisible technology visible. Batteries and energy storage are essential to modern life, powering the vehicles Clarios drive, the devices Clarios rely on and the systems that keep its world moving. Yet because the way batteries store and release energy is largely invisible, these concepts can be difficult for children to understand. The Curious Crew Explores Battery Town takes on this challenge by transforming a complex scientific topic into an engaging adventure for children aged six to twelve. Rather than explaining batteries through technical definitions, the story follows the main characters as they are magically shrunk and transported inside a battery, discovering firsthand how energy is stored, transferred and used. By watching an adult use this knowledge to jump-start their neighbor's car, they see how scientific understanding can solve real-life problems. Through this imaginative approach, young readers learn not only about science but also about the value of curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving. Building future skills through storytelling. As industries continue to evolve, future generations will need a wide range of skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Not just technical literacy, but also creativity, analytical thinking and a willingness to keep learning will become increasingly important. Research consistently shows that early exposure to STEM topics helps spark long-term interest in science and technology. However, this only works when learning feels accessible, relevant and enjoyable. That is what makes projects like Battery Town so valuable. By combining science with storytelling, the book helps children explore complex concepts in a way that feels natural and exciting. Rather than passively absorbing information, children are inspired to explore, ask questions and reach their own conclusions. These are the same qualities that drive innovation in classrooms, laboratories and workplaces around the world. Bringing expertise to education. To ensure scientific accuracy, Clarios engineers collaborated closely with the book's creators throughout the development process. As a global leader in low-voltage energy storage, Clarios brought decades of technical expertise to the project, helping ensure that the concepts presented in the story accurately reflect the science behind battery technology while remaining accessible to young readers. "Battery Town does a fantastic job in turning a complex topic into an engaging story for children. We are proud to support this wonderful book that helps young learners explore energy, batteries and sustainability in a way that sparks curiosity and makes learning fun," said Irina Kudenko, Corporate Social Responsibility Lead, Clarios EMEA. The collaboration reflects Clarios' commitment to sharing knowledge, supporting education and helping make STEM subjects more approachable for young audiences. Investing in the next generation. Creating a more sustainable future requires more than technological innovation. It requires investing in people. By supporting educational initiatives that inspire curiosity and expand access to STEM learning, businesses can play a meaningful role in helping young people understand the challenges and opportunities that will shape tomorrow's world. Through projects like The Curious Crew Explores Battery Town, Clarios is helping children discover the science behind everyday life while encouraging the mindset that drives future innovation: the confidence to keep asking questions. Because every great discovery starts with curiosity.

Clarios is launching Battery Manager, its battery-monitoring subscription service for commercial fleets, in Europe. The company announced the expansion on 14 September at the IAA Transportation show in Hannover, Germany. The service was running on about 1,100 connected vehicles in early September and is working with 20 fleets. Clarios expects to surpass 2,000 vehicles in October. The hardware includes an aftermarket sensor on the battery's negative post and a gateway that sends data to the cloud. The service monitors battery health, charge levels, and starter or alternator issues. It works with AGM and SLI batteries from any manufacturer and supports 12-, 24-, and 48-volt systems. Pricing varies by fleet size, reaching up to $15 per vehicle monthly for smaller fleets. Clarios estimates the service saves fleets approximately $500 per truck annually.