Global electric vehicle sales reached 14 million in 2023*, showing an increased market share of 18 per cent in total sales from 4 per cent in 2020. Current trends and environmental policies may avoid 6 million barrels of fossil fuels by 2030! But is it really possible to achieve such a remarkable feat? – Well, yes, with new means of sustainable electric vehicle manufacturing practices, the target is attainable. Let’s see how.
Despite the rising popularity of electric vehicles, electricity consumption is a matter of concern when it comes to automobile design and manufacturing. Even the superior engines running on electricity need lightweight chassis for sustainability. This is where aluminium becomes highly important for the transformation.
Aluminium’s core properties are:
- High strength-to-weight ratio
- Lightweight metal
- High malleability (ideal for extrusion, casting, sheeting)
- Energy absorption is higher than conventional alloys like steel
- Sustainable (100% recyclable metal)
- Corrosion resistance
These properties make aluminium a brilliant choice for electric vehicle manufacturing. Here are the prominent advantages of aluminium fabrication in the automobile industry that open new gates of sustainable designs. For instance, extrusion-based designs are cost-effective as the components like screw ports and heat sinks don’t need welding and milling.
Its exclusive properties are used in four categories:
Housing for electric motors
Aluminium is vividly used for the housing trays of AC-DC inverters, chargers, battery conductors, heat pumps, DC-DC converters, and reduction drives.
Making batteries and other relevant components
This metal is ideally used for prismatic battery casings, foils, and battery housing. This biggest market share of aluminium in global electric vehicle manufacturing goes to battery casing. As per industry research, this market is projected to grow around $13.54 billion by the end of 2032 from the $4.01 billion mark in 2022.
Consider this as an example. A 60 to 100-kWh battery setup can weigh between 350 and 650 kg. It is almost 25 per cent of the kerb weight of an electric vehicle. Hence, aluminium’s lightweight feature will be one of the driving factors in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.
In another aspect, swappable batteries will pave the way for longer ranges of electric vehicles. Here, aluminium extrusion techniques are used to manufacture battery casings. The other techniques used to fulfil these purposes are gravity die casting, sheet metal processing and pressure die casting.
Body-in-white (BIW) and closures
Electric vehicles are more inclined to use aluminium for its lightweight and strength-to-weight ratio. This metal is nearly as strong as steel but weighs less. Hence, it is ideal for constructing lightweight automobile body parts to reduce energy consumption.
Together with improved battery performance, this metal can reduce the weight of electric vehicles significantly without compromising their safety features. Apart from weight reduction, aluminium is corrosion resistant, making it a prime material for producing durable car components. These components can withstand severe weather conditions and usage.
It also opens new doors for designing car models from scratch rather than converting existing models running on internal combustion engines.
Developing charging infrastructure
The success of the electric vehicle revolution also depends on the available charging stations in all major locations. A fortified charging infrastructure can only be developed in collaboration with battery-as-a-service (BAAS) companies. Together with vehicle manufacturing and charge point services, a network of charging and battery-swapping stations can be created.
As the demand for electric vehicles increases, a country needs to gear up for such massive requirements of charging and battery-swapping units. There is no doubt about the crucial role of aluminium in developing this infrastructure.
Aluminium’s significant contribution to achieve net-zero target
Electric vehicles will lay the foundation to achieve the net-zero target by 2050**. The use of aluminium in this automobile segment will be essential to reach this target. This metal is highly recyclable. Its other features will boost electric vehicle manufacturing leaving a low-carbon footprint.
The latest government protocols supporting this environment-friendly transportation medium will also drive the demand for aluminium for making batteries and body parts considerably. This increasing demand will automatically boost local economies for aluminium recycling.
However, localisation of products is still a challenge. To achieve this remarkable feat, we need improved technology, more investment in infrastructure development and increased collaboration between the government and interested companies.
*https://www.iea.org/energy-system/transport/electric-vehicles