Reducing emissions
through fuel efficiency.
The automotive industry accounts for 14% of annual global CO₂ emissions, so reducing emissions through fuel economy improvements is a key part of the global drive towards decarbonisation.
While mass adoption of EV’s will eventually reduce CO₂ emissions, improving fuel efficiency of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) will have a bigger impact on reducing oil consumption (and therefore CO₂ emissions) in the next few decades. Our proprietary ArcCarbon technology dramatically improves lead acid batteries' Dynamic Charge Acceptance (DCA), enhancing an existing, low-cost technology and extending its utility for years to come.
Start your engines. Again and again.
ArcCarbon improves fuel economy in Micro-hybrid vehicles (MHV) by optimising battery usage during start/stop events. When a MHV is at rest, the engine is switched off, then it restarts again when needed. This presents several challenges for the battery.
Firstly, the battery may endure 10-100x as many starts per day than a traditional car. Secondly, the battery needs to support "hotel loads" (such as lighting and radio) while the engine is off. As a result, it’s relatively easy for a car battery's state of charge to become so low that the car may not restart after a start/stop event. If the battery SoC drops, the Start/Stop function is turned off by the car, hence the fuel saving benefits dry up. Having High DCA means that the system is saving the maximum amount of fuel.
Simply put, our ArcCarbon technology maximises the fuel saving of a Micro Hybrid by recovering most of the energy available from the alternator.
ArcCarbon mitigates a common problem with EV auxiliary batteries.
ArcCarbon can also be used for the Auxiliary Battery in EV’s. All EV vehicles have an auxiliary 12-volt lead acid battery as a safety requirement in case the main lithium-ion battery fails.
An Undercharged Unit.
Using an ArcCarbon battery as the auxiliary battery in an EV dramatically improves the functionality of the vehicle by offering constant readiness as it is continuously charged.
During colder periods, regular lead acid auxiliary batteries can become undercharged. This can lead to a vehicle being unfit, unsafe and, in some cases, unable to function.
ArcCarbon mitigates this issue due to higher Charge Acceptance at low temperatures. This allows OEMS to stop oversizing batteries as a solution to the problem.
Innovation
We take risks, ask difficult questions and move quickly.
Authenticity
We keep our promises and make data-driven decisions.
Perseverance
We’re determined and learn from our mistakes.
Collaboration
Taking inclusive approaches to help everyone win.
Sustainability
We take practical steps to reduce environmental risk.
Stuart McKenzie
CEO & Managing Director
Prior to ArcActive, Stuart spent ten years as a partner at two venture capital companies, with a focus on investing in tech businesses. He received an MBA from Otago University in 2000.
Shane Christie
Chief Technology Officer
Shane graduated with a BEng (Hons) from the University of Canterbury as a Chemical Engineer and has been with ArcActive since the company made its first electrode.
Bruce Munro
Director & Board Chairman
Bruce is one of New Zealand’s most experienced directors. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Board at Gallagher Group Limited and a former director at the NZ Wool Board.
Mike Chisholm
Director & Board Member
Mike has founded, led and sold two highly successful SaaS businesses and director of several technology businesses and the founder of the EduTech Nepal Foundation.
Steve Tucker
Director & Board Member
Steve has a background in financial accounting, management accounting and financial strategy. He currently serves as Executive Chairman at Gallagher Group Limited.
Brendan McNeill
Director & Board Member
Over a forty-year career, Brendan has held various management positions with high-profile ICT businesses. He was the founding CEO and former chairman of the Digiweb Group of companies.
Phil Lennon
Director & Board Member
Phil was the founder and former General Manager of Apex Rental Cars, which he sold to Avis Budget Group. Phil previously held electronic engineering positions with Telecom.
Justin Lobb
Business Development Manager
Justin was the CEO of Vodafone Retail NZ. With over thirty years in the local and global telecommunications and technology industry, Justin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role.
ArcActive EnergyBank.
Low-cost, long-life solar storage.
Powered by an array of our innovative ArcStore carbon fibre batteries the EnergyBank provides a fully usable 15 kWH energy storage and output system, lasting over 4,000 Cycles made from infinitely recyclable and sustainably sourced materials, our batteries offer a safe, secure and eco-friendly storage option.
Payback Time
A typical household can save around $1,000 each year by having a battery to store solar energy.
The problem with current battery storage solutions is the cost, meaning it will take 18-20 years to gain any of these savings. This high cost is due to the use of rare and dangerous materials such as lithium and cobalt. By using readily-available and trusted materials, ArcActive EnergyBank offers significant savings with financial returns within four years.
We are now seeking strategic partnerships with investors and manufacturers to accelerate our next phase of growth.
Carbon Fibre. A new frontier in battery technology.
ArcCarbon is one of the biggest leaps forward in lead acid battery engineering in over 140 years. By reinventing the traditional “Grid + Paste” design our batteries overcome the lifetime limitations that have long-hindered LABs.
Our ArcCarbon nanotechnology reinforces the fine particles in the electrode with a fabric structure. These innovative carbon fibre structured electrodes allow for larger pores and a fabric reinforced “Active Material” particle network, lengthening an LAB’s lifespan by up to 10X.
A Circular approach to
the Planet.
Since ArcActive Energy is based on lead acid battery technology, it has a tiny environmental footprint.
This makes Lead Acid Batteries (LABs) the most environmentally friendly option for powering electricity storage. Unlike lithium, no-one goes digging for lead: it‘s simply a by-product of Zinc and Copper mining. What’s more, a consumer can get paid when they hand over a lead acid battery for recycling which underpins the 99% recycling rate for LAB’s.
In it for the Long Haul.
We’ve reinvented the traditional lead acid battery by re-engineering the electrodes to overcome the lifetime limitations that have long-hindered LABs. ArcActive’s Fabric Structured Electrodes helps delay a key Failure Mode, enabling the batteries to achieve 2000+ cycles at 100% Depth of Discharge.
Safety First.
LABs are among the safest options for electricity storage. While lead oxide powder is a toxic material - and we take great care to eliminate risks to battery manufacturing workers - LABs present zero risk to the consumer once they have been manufactured.
