Germany's SGL Carbon announced that it has partnered with Chinese carmaker NIO to develop prototypes of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) battery cases for electric vehicles. It is said that the battery case is 40% lighter than conventional aluminum or steel battery cases, has high rigidity, and has 200 times lower thermal conductivity than aluminum.
"In addition, the composite material also excels in water tightness, air tightness, and corrosion resistance," said Sebastian Grasser, automotive segment manager, Composites-Fibers and Materials, SGL Carbon.
The bottom plate and cover of the battery box are made of a sandwich core and several carbon gel layers. The production tool design of the bottom plate and the cover is completed by SGL Carbon's Lightweight and Application Center. The carbon fiber of similar parts is produced by the SGL factory in Moses Lake, Wash, Washington and the Muir of Ord in the UK. It is processed into coarse cloth at the SGL factory in Wackersdorf, Germany. Production of base plates and covers, as well as assembly of individual components.
It is said that the battery case is extremely light, stable and safe. The entire battery box, including the battery, can be replaced within three minutes of the Weilai Power Station.
SGL Carbon predicts that with the continuous development of electric mobility, the demand for lightweight battery box solutions in the automotive industry will increase significantly in the next few years. The company has partnered with different partners to further develop different battery cases made of composite materials. In the future, such battery boxes will be applicable to electric vehicle batteries of various sizes and designs.
Dr. Wei Bin, Lightweight Engineering Manager of Weilai Automobile, said: "Lightweight construction is the core element of Weilai's technical road circuit. The use of composite materials, especially the use of high-performance carbon fibers in battery housing systems, can make Weilai Automobile better Geodynamic driving performance, longer cruising range, battery pack can also have ultra-high energy density (over 180 Wh / kg) ".