A Change Of Mind

1. Despite opinions to the contrary, manufacturers see the electric vehicle as here to stay and will dominate new car sales over the next 10 to 20 years.
2. Most issues, such as speed and range, have been solved for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
3. Changes to behavior and mindset, such as with seatbelt use, are needed for full adoption
4. Businesses will adapt to electric vehicles, providing charging points and activities to do while you wait

Electric is inevitable

Manufacturers, on the other hand, see the revolution as a foregone conclusion. The electric vehicle is here to stay, and its power source will be a battery. This conclusion is not the result of star gazing or from looking into a crystal ball. If we consider the amount of time needed to develop and prove a new vehicle, as well as its average life span, then the decision to go electric was made a long time ago.

Without a doubt, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will dominate new car sales over the next 10 to 20 years. A fact confirmed by recent announcements from major manufacturers, such as Ford, Jaguar, GM and Volvo, who are outlining plans to go all-electric by 2035 at the latest.

Lack of speed, range and charging stations

One argument against BEVs is their perceived lack of speed. In fact, the average maximum speed of most electric vehicles is between 150 and 180 kilometers or 93 and 111 miles  per hour. An issue for some in Germany, where limitless speeds apply on a few stretches of the autobahn when the traffic allows, it is not a problem elsewhere globally, where top speed limits are way below the maximum level an electric vehicle can reach.

There is still the problem of range, or so say the objectors to electrification. A BEV cannot cover 800 kilometers or 500 miles in one go; at least not yet. Travelling without a break for that distance though, is not safe. There is absolutely nothing wrong with stopping to refresh the batteries of both car and owner after 350 kilometers or 220 miles. Added to this, filling stations in the traditional sense, will probably be unable to cope with a multitude of cars stopping to recharge all at once when summer vacations begin. It will be easier and more relaxing to leave the highway and grab a bite at a proper restaurant while recharging your car, rather than visit a fast food joint at the side of the road.

HiSpin®

HiSpin® rotary seals deliver minimum frictional torque while offering a static and dynamic sealing function giving tight sealing regardless of the direction of rotation.

Of course, some behavioral change will always be involved. It was a similar situation when wearing seat belts became mandatory. Arguments at the time ranged from possible internal injuries, through to a risk to pregnant women, right up to the danger of drowning if your car ends up in the river. All these unfounded arguments resulted in a certain antipathy toward seat belts, which only broke down over time, based on wrong beliefs and the unwillingness to change behavior. Today it feels completely unnatural – almost impossible even – to drive without fastening your seat belt.

Behavioral issues also applied to acceptance of mobile phones. If you forget to charge one overnight, you cannot expect to make a phone call with it the next morning. Yet this
does not prevent people buying cell phones – the benefits overcame the inconvenience.

A similar thing is true of an electric car. Once again, it simply requires a small change in behavior, until recharging the car becomes as habitual as plugging in a mobile overnight. Many of those who are skeptical of new ideas are wary of making the behavioral change involved. But as seat belts and cell phones prove, within a few years these fears are no longer a reason to prevent mass adoption.

While we cannot predict the needs of the electrification industry, Trelleborg wants to supply its automotive clients with the optimum, tailored sealing solution.

Multicomponent technology

Our customer-specific, multicomponent products allow the integration of the combined features of various materials within a single part, offering easier assembly and the simplified management of parts.

The use of ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) in this multicomponent process provides the greater chemical and physical characteristics required by new applications. A combination with plastic instead of metal means an overall saving in weight, leading to lower energy consumption; both of which are major considerations in the design of BEVs.

Turcon® HiSpin®

Seals that can stand up to the high speeds found in the powertrains on BEVs are vital. Thanks to the use of specially developed polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), our Turcon® HiSpin® rotary seals are high-performance products that not only reduce friction but are also conductive. They can take over the role played by grounding rings, requiring less additional axial space, allowing the seals to prevent corrugation damage and craters on the bearing, significantly increasing the service life of the electric motor.

LSR

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is the ideal sealing material for many of the new applications in eMobility, such as driver assistant devices and sensors. Recognizing this, Trelleborg has revolutionized the processing of LSR to meet the stringent demands of the automotive industry, producing customized products in a fully automated process for the highest possible degree of quality and reliability.

Using the latest liquid injection molding technology, Trelleborg manufactures parts in closed-loop cells, including in-line quality controls and packaging that excludes any human handling, fulfilling the requirements of Class 7 and 8 cleanrooms; a requirement for the silicone used, for example, in the tiny LEDs universally found in today’s electric vehicles.

Quick and pleasurable charging

Technology will also increase the distance electric vehicles can travel. With huge improvements in terms of charging times, new material combinations and better thermal management, there are strong indications that the capacity of today’s batteries could increase significantly. This will translate into charging enough energy to travel 300 kilometers or 190 miles within 10 minutes; meaning hooking up to an electric point will take not much longer than visiting a conventional filling station.

In fact, charging your electric vehicle is likely to be a far more pleasurable experience than filling up an ICE car. Instead of waiting five minutes at the gasoline pump, you could spend 20 minutes at a new type of charging station, which would offer a whole range of novel attractions to help drivers spend their time. Neck and back massages, car cleaning, or children’s activities are just three conceivable examples.

We are seeing the first steps in this direction. Some larger stores and service providers are allowing customers to charge their vehicles while they park – rewarding the customer for visiting and making the store’s offering more attractive. The result of this can be that the electric car owner does not even need a charging station at home. Any change in behavior here is an agreeable one, as drivers no longer have to make an extra trip to a filling station.