3 Top EV Trends from the Battery Show Europe
Author: Kelley Mello, Product Development Manager, Materion
The Battery Show Europe 2019 attracted many advanced battery and hybrid / electric vehicle (H/EV) technology providers from across the globe. New and emerging technologies, coupled with consumer needs, continue to affect the way that EVs are manufactured, charged and operated.
1. Faster Charging is Quickly Becoming a Reality
One 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. The Battery Show Europe 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.
2. 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 in Europe as mass production becomes more of a focus for the major OEMs and their supply chains. In fact, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association anticipates that the current 100,000 charging points will grow by 20 times to two million by 2025 to meet the demand for increasing sales of EVs. While it can take several years to build production facilities and test new vehicles, 2020 and 2021 look to be the years where EV production starts to increase significantly.
Automation will be key for increasing production volumes. One challenge to EV production 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.
3. European Battery Production Shifts into High Gear
Europe, and especially Germany, have long been known as automotive powerhouses, and are now becoming leaders in electric vehicle production. The European market is expected to buy 500,000 electric vehicles in 2019 and this will spur continued investment in battery production and the building of additional charging points at a more rapid pace.
By building out battery and electric vehicle production in Europe, major automotive OEMs will be well positioned to dramatically increase sales in the coming decade. It was apparent in Stuttgart that this commitment is well underway and gaining momentum.
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 Europe, the largest showcase of advanced battery and H/EV technology, featured over 450 manufacturers and others across the battery supply chain. The Battery Show Europe 2019 was held in Stuttgart, Germany.