The French supplier said Audi will launch a production car with the supercharger next year. It did not name the model but reports have said it will be offered on the Audi Q7 premium SUV.

Other automakers are testing the supplier's technology, Valeo's Chief Operating Officer Christophe Perillat-Piratoine said, without specifying.

Valeo's electric supercharger eliminates the lag time in the acceleration of cars with turbocharged engines. Unlike a turbocharger, which runs off exhaust gases, Valeo's system uses an electric motor to give the engine a near instantaneous flow of air to boost acceleration.