Notable quotes, takeaways from CAR MBS: Part III

Denise Gray, president, LG Energy Solution Michigan; Tim Grewe, director, global battery cell and electrification strategy, General Motors; and Mark Hanchett, CEO, ATLIS Motor Vehicles discuss the dynamics necessary for battery and charging technology for EV realization with John McElroy, host, Autoline, at the CAR MBS 2021.

Editor's Note: This is the third part of the three-part series "Notable quotes, takeaways from CAR MBS," in which those in the know exposed cutting-edge developments surrounding the EV evolution discussed during the CAR MBS in early August. Part I focused on the outlook for the global and North American markets and EV production. Part II focused on the supplier transition to EV production and supplier/automaker relationships during the pandemic.

Although electric vehicles exhaust no tailpipe emissions, the push to extend battery range has only intensified the need for lightweighting, and hence, the continued pursuit of lightweight-yet-strong materials. In fact, the successful mainstream acceptance of EVs pivots on expanding battery range, lifespan, and charging convenience. Materials experts and battery industry insiders revealed the most recent developments at the 2021 CAR MBS in August.

Materials, Batteries

Next-generation Steels for Lightweighting

Shalaj Gupta, director, marketing and performance improvement, ArcelorMittal North America: Today there are thousands of grades of steel developed across the steel industry, hundreds of which did not exist 10 years ago.

We make an AHSS that is six times stronger than it was 25 years ago. In the past 10 years, we have doubled the strength of steel, and in some cases, doubled its formability. One of our products developed for press-hardened steels [Usibor 2000] offers strengths up to 2,000 mPa.

Plastic Composites in Grand Cherokee

Hank Richardson, product engineering manager, L&L Products: The traditional solution that Stellantis had was steel. They were looking for a weight reduction in the vehicle. Working with Stellantis and BASF, we replaced a steel tunnel reinforcement with a composite in the Grand Cherokee.

Other targets for composite pultrusions are the bumper beam, inner rocker reinforcement, door intrusion beam, crush cans, structural inserts, roof rail reinforcements, IP reinforcement beam, battery protection, and seat sliding brackets.

Chris Korson, market segment manager, BASF Performance Materials NA: Compared to aluminum and high-strength steel, even ultrahigh-strength steel, our strength-to-weight ratio was three times greater than any of the metal solutions.

EV Battery Charging, Lifespan

Tim Grewe, director, global battery cell and electrification strategy, General Motors: Level 1 [battery charging, 110-V standard outlet] is more than enough. Folks only drive 40 to 50 miles a day, and you can do that all on a Level 1.

The Ultium battery is modular and stackable.

We will have 30 EVs by 2025.

For us to be successful, we will have to move that needle.

Denise Gray, president, LG Energy Solution Michigan: The industry has done a really, really good job designing the battery to [last] the life of the vehicle. We do look at how do we ensure we design that battery for the life of the vehicle so that consumer doesn’t have to go midlife and replace it.

Mark Hanchett, CEO, ATLIS Motor Vehicles: In the next two years you will see automakers touting a vehicle that will go 1 million miles on its original pack. And the ability to go 1 million miles means we’re talking about new business models, new infrastructure models, new ways of building a company in this particular space.

I think the inherent fear that the battery pack is going to die before the rest of the vehicle dies … is disappearing, it’s pretty much gone today. There are other things that won’t last a million miles in that vehicle. The battery will be the least-talked-about item.

Bill Charmley, director, EPA: There is no zero-emissions vehicle. [because emissions occur during the manufacture of it and in the generation of the electricity.]

The auto industry is investing $330 billion to get to EVs.

Natural gas is killing coal power. Michigan will retire its coal plants by 2030.