BorgWarner to supply battery systems for Holon Urban
Benteler subsidiary Holon announced just this week that the first US factory for the Holon Urban autonomous e-shuttle will be built in Jacksonville, Florida. Holon has signed a preliminary agreement with project developer InLight Real Estate Partners for a facility covering almost 54,000 square meters. The groundbreaking ceremony is planned for April 2026, with commissioning scheduled for the second half of 2027.
Just a few days later, the supply chain is beginning to take shape: US supplier BorgWarner has announced that it will supply NMC battery packs with cylindrical cells and a capacity of 57 kWh for the Holon Urban. Each vehicle will be equipped with two battery packs, giving the Holon Urban a total battery capacity of 114 kWh.
BorgWarner further states that each of the battery packs will be equipped with an integrated, replaceable contact housing and a multi-pack controller. According to the US supplier, the NMC cells will feature “latest generation cell chemistry and benchmark-setting energy density.” However, no data or further information on this is provided. All that is said is that the battery system has a “robust stainless steel battery case and uses a compact, active liquid cooling system”.
BorgWarner will start production of the battery packs in Seneca, South Carolina, in the second quarter of 2027 and will deliver them from there to Jacksonville. Although the origin of the round cells is not specified, several battery projects have been established in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The supplier, therefore, states that the battery system complies with Buy America requirements and the Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) regulation.
German supplier Benteler initially developed its autonomous electric shuttle under its own name, but then spun off the project under the name Holon. Holon unveiled its first e-shuttle at CES in Las Vegas in January 2023. Designed by Pininfarina, the electric Holon Mover is designed to carry up to 15 passengers. It operates automatically (Level 4) at a maximum speed of 60 kph and, according to information available at the time, has a range of approximately 290 kilometres. Production is planned at several locations, including Jacksonville, for the US market. It has not been confirmed whether BorgWarner will also supply the battery packs for the other production sites.
“BorgWarner has extensive experience with smart and integrated battery management systems and excels in energy density, scalability and robust safety certifications – all key components to this exciting new application,” says Henk Vanthournout, Vice President of BorgWarner and President and General Manager, Battery and Charging Systems. “Working with an innovator like HOLON is a great fit for our team. They aim to provide safe, sustainable and inclusive transportation solutions, aligning with our overall sustainability strategy and vision to create a clean, energy-efficient world.”
Flavio Friesen, Vice President of Engineering at Holon, adds: “BorgWarner is a strong fit for HOLON: their battery platform combines benchmark energy density with robust safety, cybersecurity, and serviceability. The modular, liquid-cooled two-pack system integrates perfectly with our shuttle’s packaging and uptime requirements, supporting not only our North American rollout, but also the demands in Europe and the Middle East regions.”
This article was originally published by Sebastian Schaal for electrive’s German edition
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