The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that for every 100 pounds of car weight reduction, fuel economy will increase by 1-2%. The electric car industry is working to improve energy efficiency and alleviate "range anxiety", which undoubtedly brings business opportunities. The battery encapsulation shell of an electric vehicle is mainly used to package and protect the battery. They have different shapes and sizes, and just like other auto parts, there are many choices in materials, and the competition between different materials is fierce. Aluminum and steel are the traditional material choices for battery packaging. However, composite materials can provide better alternatives and will greatly improve the performance of electric vehicles.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that for every 100 pounds of car weight reduction, fuel economy will increase by 1-2%. The electric car industry is working to improve energy efficiency and alleviate "range anxiety", which undoubtedly brings business opportunities. The battery encapsulation shell of an electric vehicle is mainly used to package and protect the battery. They have different shapes and sizes, and just like other auto parts, there are many choices in materials, and the competition between different materials is fierce. Aluminum and steel are the traditional material choices for battery packaging. However, composite materials can provide better alternatives and will greatly improve the performance of electric vehicles.
◆Reduce weight
It can be said that the main driving factor for choosing composite materials is to reduce the weight of the car body. If the battery casing is made of 100% composite material instead of aluminum, the weight of the car body can be reduced by up to 40%. The battery packaging shell made of composite materials is lighter in weight and has a positive collateral effect on vehicle design. The weight of the car body is reduced due to the battery box factor, so when towing a lighter vehicle, the size of the battery and the engine required will be reduced. This positive spiral effect can reduce vehicle costs and mileage anxiety, and help vigorously promote the large-scale use of electric vehicles.
◆Insulation
In addition to the characteristics of lighter materials, composite materials also avoid the need for a separate insulation system, which further reduces the weight of the car body and helps streamline the supply chain and value chain. For the metal battery packaging shell, heat insulation system needs to be installed around the material to maintain the working temperature of the temple battery. Because the composite material has thermal insulation properties and has a good effect in preventing heat transfer, there is no need to install more weight-increasing parts in the system.
◆Noise, vibration and roughness
Although not a key factor related to safety, low-noise vehicles are more commercially viable. Noise, vibration and harshness are the result of vibration or noise, which will be transmitted and diverged by sound in the cab. Compared with metal materials, composite materials have less noise, vibration and harshness due to their inherent damping characteristics.
◆Security
From the perspective of a larger car body, the composite battery case can be designed as a part of the car body structure, not only to protect the battery, but also to protect the passengers in the vehicle. The strength and stiffness properties of composite materials surpass that of aluminum or steel, which can provide better crash safety. This combination will require close cooperation between the battery packaging housing supplier and the chassis designer, but it is indeed feasible for improving vehicle safety.
If, as predicted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, original equipment manufacturers can reap energy efficiency from lightweight cars, composite materials will undoubtedly play a role. Mileage anxiety is still one of the key problems that the electric vehicle industry must overcome, and considering choosing materials other than traditional battery housing materials is an important step in reducing vehicle body weight and improving fuel economy.
