VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES SAS

Their core work

Valeo Systèmes Thermiques is the thermal systems division of Valeo, a major French automotive supplier. They specialize in thermal management solutions for vehicles, with a strong and growing focus on battery thermal management for electric vehicles. Their H2020 work centers on making EV batteries safer, lighter, longer-lasting, and more energy-efficient — from next-generation lithium-ion cell chemistry (LNMO) to smart battery management systems. They bring large-scale automotive manufacturing expertise to research consortia, bridging the gap between lab-scale battery innovations and series production.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Valeo's early H2020 involvement (2016–2017) was broad and exploratory — cloud computing optimization (CloudPerfect), thermoelectric generators (INTEGRAL), and acoustic engineering (SmartAnswer) with no single dominant theme. From 2018 onward, their focus narrowed sharply to electric vehicle battery systems: thermal management, next-gen lithium-ion chemistry, BMS development, and lightweight battery design (SELFIE, 3beLiEVe, LIBERTY). This pivot mirrors the wider automotive industry's shift toward electrification and shows Valeo repositioning its thermal expertise from combustion-era HVAC toward EV battery performance.

Valeo is doubling down on battery thermal management and BMS intelligence — expect continued investment in safer, lighter, and longer-range EV battery systems through 2025 and beyond.

How they like to work

Valeo consistently joins as a participant rather than leading consortia — zero coordinator roles across six projects. They work in large, diverse consortia (80 unique partners across 17 countries), suggesting they contribute deep technical capability within multi-partner efforts rather than driving project strategy. This is typical for large industrial companies that bring manufacturing know-how and validation capacity, making them a reliable execution partner rather than a project initiator.

Valeo has built a broad European network of 80 consortium partners spanning 17 countries, indicating strong connections across the EV battery and transport R&D ecosystem. Their reach is pan-European with no single geographic cluster dominating.

What sets them apart

Valeo brings something rare to battery R&D consortia: the perspective of a Tier-1 automotive supplier with actual series production capability for thermal systems. While many partners contribute lab research or simulation, Valeo can validate and integrate battery thermal solutions at automotive scale. For consortium builders targeting the EV battery space, they offer a direct pathway from research results to components that go into real vehicles.

Highlights from their portfolio

• 3beLiEVe
  Largest EC contribution (EUR 1.23M) and targets commercialization of next-generation LNMO lithium-ion cells for the 2025+ xEV market — a concrete industrialization timeline.
• LIBERTY
  Most recent project (2021–2024) with EUR 970K, focused on lightweight battery systems with advanced BMS — represents Valeo's current strategic direction.
• SELFIE
  First pure battery thermal management project (2018), marking Valeo's pivot from general automotive R&D toward dedicated EV battery work.