TOP ELECTRIC VEHICLE TRENDS FROM THE BATTERY SHOW
Authors: Kelley Mello, Product Development Manager, Materion &
Sejin Im, Global Market Director, Materion
The Battery Show North America brought electric vehicle (EV) professionals together from across the globe to showcase and discuss the latest trends driving the industry forward. Our team was actively involved in these industry conversations as we showcased our electric vehicle battery solutions throughout the event. With Europe as a major driver in the evolution of electric vehicles, many of the trends from The Battery Show Europe earlier this year were also evident last week in Novi, Michigan—from a need for faster charging to an increase in EV production.
1. Battery Production Shifts Into High Gear
During The Battery Show Europe in April, there was an expectation for the European market to buy 500,000 electric vehicles in 2019. In North America, that number is estimated to be 425,000, for a combined total of nearly a million sales this year between the two regions. While Europe is one of the frontrunners in adopting this technology and is doing so at a faster rate than other locations, we do expect it to spur an increase in investment in battery production and the building of additional charging points in North America as well.
By building out battery and electric vehicle production, major automotive OEMs will be well positioned to dramatically increase sales in the coming decade. It was apparent at the show that this commitment is well underway and gaining momentum.
2. Faster Charging is Quickly Becoming a Reality
A key consumer concern with EVs is the time it takes to charge vehicles and how that new demand on their time can be integrated into their daily routine. As a result, the industry is shifting its focus to advance and improve charging capabilities to better align with consumer needs. As in Europe earlier this year, The Battery Show featured new, higher performance charging systems and batteries that allow faster recharge times and result in a more seamless experience for the end user. Not only are the design changes increasing charging speed, but they are also evolving to meet the higher energy demands of new longer-range vehicles.
3. EV Production is Scaling Up
For years, EVs were a new technology and between price and range anxiety, they were considered more closely related to luxury vehicles than to mass produced vehicles. We are witnessing a change of perspective as mass production becomes more of a focus and automotive OEMs get closer to achieving a cost parity between EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles.
Automation will be key for increasing production volumes. One challenge that automation is addressing is how to efficiently connect individual battery cells into compact, reliable packs. Automated laser welding production lines are a critical method to address this constraint, as they accelerate the production speed for OEMs and their supply chains.
Materion Electric Vehicle Battery Innovators
Materion has been designing and manufacturing materials solutions for EV battery connections for 10 years. Our Dovetail Clad® material can be made into lead tabs and busbars that enable laser welding between battery cells. Dovetail Clad material offers mechanical, electrical and thermal advantages over alternative materials and technologies. Its robust welding performance and vibration/fatigue reliability makes it the top choice of automakers.
Learn more about Dovetail Clad and how it can change the way you produce battery packs.
The Battery Show North America brings engineers, innovators, and thought leaders together each year in Novi, Michigan, for a conference and expo focused on keeping up with the fast-moving advanced battery and automotive industries.