Custom ETC OBU Battery Manufacturer in China
ETC on-board units spend most of their service life in standby, but they must wake quickly and deliver stable power during RF communication. Long storage, high windshield temperatures, low-temperature operation, battery aging, and increasing internal resistance can cause voltage sag and communication failure.
VTCBATT develops battery solutions for ETC OBUs, toll transponders, DSRC devices, and other roadside communication terminals. Available options include Li-SOCl₂ primary cells, Li-MnO₂ batteries, battery-capacitor hybrid systems, and solar-assisted rechargeable packs.
Our engineering team evaluates the actual OBU load profile, including standby current, pulse current, pulse duration, system cutoff voltage, temperature range, target service life, and available battery space.
Based on these requirements, VTCBATT can recommend the appropriate chemistry, battery configuration, capacitor support, connector, wire harness, and mechanical design.
From prototype evaluation to mass production, we focus on reliable pulse performance, long-term stability, application-specific integration, and project-level compliance support.
Battery Solutions for ETC OBU
VTCBATT provides OBU battery solutions matched to your standby current, RF pulse load, temperature range, service life, and space limits.
For ETC OBUs with very low standby current and long service-life requirements.
Best for: Long standby life and low self-discharge.
Engineering focus: Passivation, pulse voltage, and aging.
A hybrid solution for OBUs that need long standby life and stronger RF pulse support.
Best for: DSRC/RF pulse loads and improved voltage stability.
Engineering focus: Pulse current, duration, and recharge interval.
A compact primary lithium option for toll tags and OBUs with intermittent pulse loads.
Best for: Compact size and stronger pulse response.
Engineering focus: Voltage window, pulse load, and service life.
Rechargeable Li-ion or LiPo solutions for OBUs with photovoltaic charging.
Best for: Solar-assisted and thin windshield-mounted devices.
Engineering focus: Charging temperature, solar input, and battery aging.
How to Choose the Right Battery for an ETC OBU
Selecting an OBU battery requires evaluating the actual load profile, operating environment, and service-life target. VTCBATT reviews these five parameters before recommending the battery chemistry and architecture:
Design Input: Deep-sleep current (µA)
Engineering Impact: Determines long-term energy consumption and self-discharge margin.
Design Input: Peak current (mA) + pulse duration (ms)
Engineering Impact: Determines pulse capability, DCIR requirements, capacitor sizing, and voltage-sag margin.
Design Input: Minimum operating voltage (Vcutoff)
Engineering Impact: Defines the lowest usable loaded battery voltage before MCU reset or RF communication failure.
Design Input: Required operating and storage temperature
Engineering Impact: Affects capacity, internal resistance, pulse response, charging limits, and long-term aging.
Design Input: Required years in service
Engineering Impact: Determines capacity reserve and end-of-life voltage and resistance margin.
Custom OBU Battery Pack Integration
VTCBATT customizes OBU battery assemblies to match your enclosure, electrical interface, and installation requirements.
Engineering Integration Options
- Battery Chemistry & Form Factor
Li-SOCl₂, Li-MnO₂, hybrid pulse, or rechargeable lithium options. - Pulse-Support Integration
HLC, HPC, or capacitors for improved RF pulse voltage stability. - Custom Tabs & Terminals
Tab position, solder terminals, and connection layout matched to your PCB or housing. - Wire Harness & Connectors
Custom wire length, polarity, connector type, and cable direction. - Protection & Thermal Sensing
NTC, PTC, fuse, or protection circuitry where required. - Mechanical Packaging
Custom dimensions, insulation, cushioning, labels, and traceability markings.
From Drawing to Validation Sample
Send your battery cavity drawing, voltage requirements, load profile, temperature range, and target service life.
VTCBATT can recommend a suitable battery configuration and develop samples for validation.
Why OBU Battery Capacity Alone Is Not Enough
An OBU battery may still have remaining capacity but fail during an RF transaction.
As the battery ages or operates at low temperature, internal resistance can increase. A short RF pulse can then cause the loaded voltage to fall below the OBU cutoff voltage.
Vterminal = VOCV − I × Rinternal
If the terminal voltage drops below the MCU or RF module operating threshold, the OBU may reset or fail to complete the transaction.
Therefore, OBU battery design must consider not only capacity and voltage, but also internal resistance, pulse performance, and temperature effects.
ETC OBU Battery + Capacitor Validation Data
VTCBATT evaluates hybrid battery systems under different temperature and pulse-load conditions to verify voltage stability and discharge capability for long-life electronic applications.
- 25°C Load & Pulse Test
- 70°C Pulse Test
- Low-Temperature Test
- Capacity Test
25°C Load & Pulse Performance
The battery-capacitor system was tested under continuous load and repeated pulse conditions at room temperature.
Validation focus: Stable loaded voltage, pulse voltage drop, and voltage recovery.
High-Temperature Pulse Performance — 70°C
Repeated pulse testing was performed at elevated temperature to evaluate voltage response under thermal stress.
Validation focus: Pulse voltage stability and recovery during high-temperature exposure.
Low-Temperature Load & Pulse Performance
The hybrid system was also evaluated under low-temperature conditions, where battery internal resistance normally increases.
Test conditions shown in the report:
- -25°C load test
- -20°C pulse test
Validation focus: Loaded voltage, pulse voltage sag, and recovery at low temperature.
Capacity Verification
Capacity discharge testing was performed to evaluate the available energy of the battery system.
Validation focus: Discharge profile, usable capacity, and end-of-discharge voltage behavior.
Engineering Conclusion: These tests allow VTCBATT engineers to evaluate both energy capacity and pulse-voltage behavior across different temperature conditions. For ETC OBU applications, the key design question is whether the battery can maintain sufficient terminal voltage during the required RF pulse under the specified temperature and aging conditions.
Based on the OBU load profile, pulse demand, temperature range, and service-life target, VTCBATT can recommend different battery configurations for different operating conditions.
Recommended Battery Configurations for ETC OBU
A primary lithium option for ETC OBUs with very low average current and long standby periods.
Best fit: Low standby current, long service life, limited maintenance.
A hybrid configuration that combines long-term energy storage with additional pulse support.
Best fit: Strong RF pulse loads, long standby periods, and applications requiring better voltage stability.
A compact primary lithium option for toll tags and small OBU devices with intermittent active loads.
Best fit: Compact size, moderate service-life targets, and stronger pulse response.
A rechargeable battery option for windshield-mounted OBUs with photovoltaic charging.
Best fit: Thin device profiles, solar-assisted charging, and custom mechanical integration.
ETC OBU devices may use Li-SOCl2 primary lithium cells, Li-SOCl2 with HLC/HPC or capacitor support, Li-MnO2 primary lithium cells, or rechargeable Li-ion/LiPo batteries in solar-assisted designs. The correct option depends on sleep current, RF pulse load, service life, voltage cutoff, temperature range and space limits.
OBU battery life depends on the actual device load profile, battery chemistry, storage time, operating temperature, pulse current, cutoff voltage and aging behavior. Service life must be validated using test data for the exact battery configuration and customer use case.
During toll transactions, the OBU may wake up, communicate through DSRC/RFID, activate internal circuits and sometimes drive indicators or a buzzer. These events can create short current pulses that are much higher than the sleep current.
Li-SOCl2 is often considered when long standby life, low self-discharge and high nominal voltage are important. However, pulse capability and voltage response must be checked carefully, especially after storage, low-temperature exposure and aging.
A hybrid pulse component can help support short RF current pulses while the Li-SOCl2 cell provides long-term energy. This architecture can improve pulse voltage stability when it is designed and validated around the actual OBU load profile.
Yes, Li-MnO2 can be considered for some toll tag and OBU applications, especially when the voltage window, pulse load, space and cost structure fit the project. Exact performance must be confirmed by model-specific data and testing.
Solar input can help in some OBU designs, but it does not remove the need for battery engineering. Real light exposure, charging temperature, storage condition, battery aging and backup behavior must still be validated.
If battery internal resistance increases with age or low temperature, RF pulse current can cause voltage sag. The OBU may reset or fail a transaction if terminal voltage drops below the system cutoff voltage, even when theoretical capacity remains.
At minimum, VTCBATT needs the OBU operating voltage, sleep current, active current, RF peak current, pulse duration, transaction frequency, service life target, cutoff voltage, temperature range, battery size limit and whether the device uses solar input.
Standalone Li-SOCl₂ provides long-term energy. A hybrid system adds a pulse-support component to improve loaded voltage during short high-current events.
Windshield-mounted devices may experience elevated temperatures when vehicles are parked in direct sunlight. Battery temperature capability should therefore be evaluated using the actual installation location, cell model, storage condition and pulse requirement.
