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EV Solutions: Lightweight and Under-The-Hood Stabilizers
Lightweight vehicle materials are more critical than ever in the race to an electrified future. The global light-duty vehicle market is experiencing regulatory pressures and rapid growth to support OEMs that are electrifying their portfolio. Polymers such as engineering resins, alloys, and blends are experiencing high demand due to their cost effectiveness, lightweight nature, and outstanding performance in extreme environments.
The United States will be at the center of this growth due to significant tax credits and incentives rolled out through the Build Back Better plan, also known as the Inflation Reduction Act. This bipartisan infrastructure law is on a path to developing a network of over 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations while offering consumers tax credits of up to $7,500 for new electric vehicles (EVs or BEVs) or plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
SI Group EV Solutions
Why is EV lightweighting important?
Vehicle lightweighting is not a single technology or set of technologies but rather an approach to improving and further developing automotive components and elements to support fuel efficiency, improved handling, longer range, reduced environmental footprint, and, in some cases, improved performance. A 10% reduction in vehicle weight can lead to an 8% improvement in fuel economy.
SI Group Under-The-Hood Solutions
The greatest auto weight reduction will be in the under-the-hood segment, as the majority of the automotive industry has reduced the weight of interior components, such as seats and dashboards. Electric and hybrid-powered engines, which use lithium-ion batteries, comprise sheets of treated thermoplastics at the core. Combined with connectors, air- and liquid-cooling systems, which control battery heat, high voltage, and other components, clearly create automobiles that use considerably more plastics than those with standard gasoline engines. Plastics have become the norm in terms of air intake manifolds, whereas metals were the only materials used in the past.
Composites used in EV applications require coupling agents to increase the adhesion between the polymer matrix and the reinforcing agents or fillers. The SI Group has a broad range of coupling agents, impact modifiers, and antioxidants that provide excellent performance for EV under-the-hood applications.
- Battery Enclosures or Structural Components
- ROYALTUF™ 527 is a maleic anhydride grafted EPDM modifier that offers high chemical resistance for potential EV applications such as the battery enclosures. Additionally, this material provides lightweight benefits for automotive components that utilize composites for structural or body panel applications while maintaing a high strength-to-weight balance.
- Engine and Powertrain Components
- ROYALTUF™ 527 and POLYBOND™ 7200 offer extreme temperature performance for a variety of engine components, including air intake manifolds or valve covers.
- Furthermore, POLYBOND™ 7200 offers excellent flexural and tensile strength for glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) compounds. These compounds offer EV manufacturers lightweight benefits will delivering strength and stability. EV suppliers utilizing glass fiber filled PP can benefit from POLYBOND™ 7200 and is ability to couple and disperse appropriately.
- Insulation for the wire in EV's electrical system
- POLYBOND™ polyethylene-based coupling agents have good electrical insulating qualities with strong gel resistance and flame retardant performance. They can also endure high temperatures and chemical exposure.
Featured Product
ROYALTUF™ impact modifiers are designed for optimal performance for EV under-the-hood manufacturers utilizing nylon. Because ROYALTUF™ compounds are more elastomeric than nylon, the impact performance can significantly improve, especially when exposed to low-temperature environments.
- 15X higher impact strength
- Phenomenal low-temperature performance
- Significantly increased toughness
- Reduced waste and compatibility with recycled compounds
The chart below highlights nylon 6,6 and nylon 6,6 alloys with PP impact performance utilizing ROYALTUF™ 485. This grade can also improve recycled resin compounds for end-of-life vehicles looking to incorporate sustainability into their manufacturing process.
Overall, ROYALTUF™ can increase the performance and durability of electric vehicle components. Its strength, durability, and chemical resistance make it well suited for the challenging circumstances found in an electric vehicle's engine compartment and other under-the-hood areas.
Summary
If you are interested in learning more about SI Group's solutions for electric vehicles, talk to our specialists today.
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