The German SGL Carbon Group reported on April 21 that the company has been selected by the BMW Group as the supplier of future plug-in hybrid vehicles to provide glass fiber composite cover plates for its battery boxes. Previously, SGL had announced that it had produced prototype battery cases for Chinese automaker NIO, and received orders from an unnamed North American automaker and a European sports car manufacturer.
SGL said that the composite material is very suitable for the production of battery boxes for electric vehicles, not only because of its lightweight characteristics can increase the cruising range of electric vehicles, but also because of its excellent stiffness characteristics. The composite material can meet the high standard requirements of the watertightness, fire resistance, structural rigidity, and heat management of the lower body of the electric vehicle. It is true that carbon fiber composite materials are suitable for the production of under-body panels, frames and other stressed structures and load-bearing components. However, for components with less stress such as battery boxes, glass fiber or carbon-glass hybrid fiber composite materials are sufficient to meet performance requirements.
"With the continuous development of the global electric vehicle, the fiber-reinforced composite battery box solution is gradually becoming an important driving force for the growth of the SGL Group's business." Sebastian Grasser, head of the SGL Group's composite-fiber and material section automotive business department, said Road.
In addition to the application of the hybrid car battery box announced this time, SGL will continue to produce carbon fiber composite parts for BMW i3 cars and provide Carbon Core high-strength carbon fiber core body materials for the BMW 7 Series. At the same time, SGL is also a candidate supplier of carbon fibers, fabrics and laminates for iNext electric vehicles that BMW plans to release in 2021.