The composite battery housing concept developed by the consortious can be used for three battery sizes: 65 kilowatt-hours (kWh), 85 kWh and 120 kWh for use in various vehicle sizes and class.
CW spoke with engineers from Evonik and Vestaro to learn more about the consortium, the epoxy SMC, the housing design and the consortium’s go-to-market plans.
Sebastian de Nardo, manager applied technology ECA composites and adhesives at Evonik, says the genesis of the battery housing spans back several years. Evonik, he says, recognized in the broader composites market a need for an epoxy SMC that would reduce VOC exposure, process quickly and easily, reduce weight and provide performance and mechanical properties better than standard SMC.
All photo credit: Evonik
It was reported on Feb. 1 that Evonik Industries (Essen, Germany) and consortium partners have developed a lighter and more cost-effective high-voltage battery housing concept for e-mobility solutions using glass fiber-reinforced epoxy sheet molding compound (SMC). According to the company, the holistic battery system concept offers the automotive industry a safer and more energy efficient alternative to metals, or higher priced carbon fiber-reinforced plastics.
Although millions of electric cars and plug-in hybrids are already on the roads worldwide, Evonik says, there are still no generally applicable standards for the individual components. However, significant efforts are currently being made to standardize individual vehicle assemblies and establish a cross-market component standard.