The European market of electric cars turned out to be resistant to the crises related to the COVID-19 pandemics. It was decided by such factors as growing interest in cars with alternative drives or the support of the European Union. Moreover, according to projections of some of the observers, the corona virus may even accelerate the electro mobility revolution that is already taking place.
As it is demonstrated in the report by the Deloitte company “The future of Automotive Sales and After Sales. Impact of current industry trends on OEM revenues and profits until 2035” within the next 15 years the number of the vehicles with the alternative drives will grow. The long term perspectives according to the BNEF analytics indicate that the technology of electric cars will await even two decades of very dynamic development. The corona virus caused in this market only a short term slowdown related to production breaks and delay of investments in the carport recharging infrastructure. The good condition of the segment of the electric cars results from the regulations implemented by the European Union supporting development of the technology as an element of the environmental policy and also countering of the results of the crises caused by the COVID-19. According to the analytics of the Research and Markets the value of this market is to increase from the present 23.33 to 37.22 milliard dollar in 2023. There are several reasons for this.
The European automotive branch counts on electric cars
The interest in cars with an alternative drive increases and over 100 new models have been introduced in the market. As the “Automotive News Europe” informs Europe has already outrun China in respect of sales of the electric cars. Within the first seven months of 2020 269 thousand electric cars have been sold on our continent and so have been 231 thousand of plug-in type hybrids, which gives 500 thousand vehicles in total. In China these numbers were respectively 378 thousand of electric cars and 108 thousand of hybrids, i.e. 486 thousand cars in total. The advantage of the European continent origins in subsidies of governments to this type of cars, which is objected to stimulate the automotive branch in the face of the corona virus pandemics. According to some calculations, today for 17 cars with a Diesel engine sold in Europe, there are even as many as 10 electric cars, which means that the share of the latter has already officially become significant.
More and more recharging car ports
How large the dynamics of development of the electric car market will be in the future largely depends on development of the infrastructure for recharging of this type of the car. Its limed range is currently considered to be one of the key problems. Due to the corona virus epidemics a large part of such investments has been put on ice. However, a new European directive will come into force soon, which will impose the obligation of installation of car ports on such entities as developers and owners of residential and non-residential buildings. Also common holds will have to provide recharging stations for 20% of parking places located on their premises. The regulations, which are currently prepared by the Parliament of the European Union are to be in force already since March 2021. Also durability of car batteries is considered to be one of the most important barriers for development of the electric cars, but also in this field there have already been created the modern technology solutions, which protect the cells against extreme temperatures and shocks.
Modern expanded EPP plastics drive the market of the electric cars
It is estimated that over a mid-term perspective, with the alternative drive becoming more and more common, substitution of combustion engines with electric motors may result in decreasing of the costs of car manufacturing by ab. 20-30%. It does not result only from the fact, that they comprise a smaller number of parts, but also due to use of innovative plastic materials, such as e.g. expanded polypropylene processed by the Knauf Industries company. The car elements made from it can take different shapes and technical parameters, therefore they find application in various areas of construction solutions, from passive safety, through thermal insulation, up to acoustic protection. They are versatile enough to function as head rest fillers, seat fillers, roof lining or trunk mats. When used as car door padding they play an important role to amortize impacts in the course of a potential collision. Also extending of battery durability has become their newest application.
Elements form expanded EPP for battery sets – speed and economy
A battery is the most precious as well as the most expensive to replace item in an electric car. Due to this fact the car producers are continuously looking for new solutions, which allow to ensure better conditions and parameters of its operating. Considering the excellent properties of the expanded polypropylene (EPP) as well as mechanical strength, thermal insulation and ability to absorb shocks, it is possible to manufacture from it practical elements for car battery sets, which not only protect the cells, but also their electric connections against perforation and hard exploitation conditions, ensuring fast and easy assembly. A full set of Knauf Industries comprises cell partitions, electric and thermal insulation and also practical Snap-on fasteners. The elements produced in the cost-effective process of expanding can have any dimensions, shapes and density parameters, depending on individual design requirements. Precise tools and innovative technologies applied in the Knauf Industries company allow to fulfil the most rigorous technical requirements in each detail.