European electronics giant ABB has increased its majority stake in Chinese charging provider Chargedot from 67 percent to 80 percent. ABB is now one of two shareholders in Chargedot, alongside a subsidiary of China’s largest vehicle manufacturer, SAIC, which retains a 20 percent stake.
Both companies have benefited from their partnership. Chargedot has implemented ABB’s innovations in high-power, liquid cooled charging and smart, load management technology. ABB has leveraged Chargedot’s expertise to strengthen its position in China’s rapidly growing AC charging market.
“Since ABB’s acquisition in 2020 we have seen strong double-digit growth in the Chargedot business,” said Frank Muehlon, President of ABB’s E-mobility Division. “ABB has helped deliver innovations in safe, smart and sustainable charging hardware and software solutions to the Chinese market, supporting leading companies such as SAIC, Xpeng and GAC Toyota. Looking ahead, Chinese demand for high-power charging solutions and export strategies for Chinese OEM’s are both showing significant growth. With this we see strong opportunities to leverage our global experience to further support our Chinese customers and increase market share.”
Continental Engineering Services (CES) has partnered with startup Volterio to develop an automated conductive charging system. Volterio plans to develop near-production systems for the jointly designed “charging robot” by mid-2022. CES will then take the product through the certification process and take over production. Volume production of the system is planned for 2024 and will take place in Germany.
The automatic charging solution comprises two components: one unit in the underbody of the vehicle and another on the garage floor. The two components connect automatically via ultra-broadband—a radio technology for short-range data transmission. The car does not have to be parked in a perfect position—the system “corrects for deviation of up to 30 centimeters from the ideal parking position. In addition, it is irrelevant what angle a vehicle is positioned in relation to the floor unit. The conical design of the physical connector between the floor and vehicle unit permits any alignment and orientation between the units.”
The energy flows through a physical connection, so transfer efficiency is higher than that of a wireless inductive charging system, according to CES. The system is designed to be easy to install—the floor unit can simply be placed on the garage floor or bolted down, and the vehicle-mounted unit can be retrofitted to existing vehicles.
The system will initially be offered for residential use, and will require a 22 kW AC circuit. In a second phase, the companies will develop a public charging solution that can be retracted into the ground, and will have a charging capacity of over 50 kW DC.
“Our charging robot is a real step in the evolution of making electric mobility more convenient and suitable for everyday use,” says Dr. Christoph Falk-Gierlinger, Managing Director of CES. “Through this cooperation [with Volterio], we are combining the creativity and flexibility of a young startup with the development experience and automotive expertise of Continental Engineering Services.”
“With Continental, we have the perfect partner to industrialize our automated charging technology,” says Christian Flechl, Managing Director at Volterio. “Continental has the necessary production capacity and scaling capabilities.”
Lithuanian battery management system (BMS) manufacturer EMUS opened its first foreign office in Greenville, South Carolina.
“Many factors came together in choosing the Upstate region: South Carolina is famous for engineering companies, home to major OEMs, the closest time zone to Europe and [has] a balanced cost of living with ease of access to international airports,” says EMUS USA CEO Vaidotas Rutkauskas.
Located in Greenville’s Merovan Center, the new office sells BMSs for EVs, robotics and energy storage systems, and provides customer support for integrators, battery-pack assemblers and automakers.
In addition to manufacturing, EMUS is looking to innovation. According to the company, data scientists from Lithuania’s Kaunas University of Technology are working with the company to “develop advanced machine-based learning algorithms to improve battery-cell life span and provide customer insights for better battery system utilization.”
Next-Generation Adhesive Products for Battery Applications
How to improve heat dissipation, productivity and lifetime performance of battery modules and packs
As the current trend is moving away from conventional ICE (Combustion Engine) power train systems to fully or hybrid electric systems, there is a strong demand and need for next-generation materials for the 48V, 400V and 800V battery platforms. Von Roll is specialized in electrical isolation materials like impregnation, potting and coating resins but also in flexible laminates for electrical, electronics and battery applications. For all type of batteries, we are historically known for cell-spacers technology based on mica-chemistry and adhesive systems
Generally, a distinction is made between two different adhesive technologies: self-levelling adhesives and thermal adhesives.
Self-levelling adhesives are also often called “potting adhesives” – as the name suggests, they are low-viscosity adhesives used in the battery pack assembly for various purposes. They offer an ideal combination of gap filling and cell fixation, in what we call a “cast and forget” approach, along with thermal and mechanical shock dampening. Since they produce characteristically homogeneous heat dissipation from the battery, self-levelling adhesives also contribute to a longer battery life overall. On the operation side, they also carry other advantages, as they allow shorter production cycles and eliminate the need for additional gap filler materials.
On the module level, our self-levelling adhesives are mainly used for three different applications. As venting cap protection, they are very effective against corrosion and promote controlled expelling of venting gas with reduced fire risk while also fixing and protecting bonding wiring. When used for bottom part fixation, self-levelling adhesives offer excellent heat dissipation, shock damping, and increased crash stability without the need for gap filler or structural adhesives. In a full potting scenario, self-levelling adhesives provide the highest-level module protection with the most effective homogeneous heat dissipation, thermal runaway protection, and ultimate shock damping.
For high-volume productions, a combination of venting cap protection and bottom part fixation potting can be a very effective solution because there is no need for additional products like gap-fillers, gap-pads, structural adhesives, or mechanical fixation. For further information on this all-round approach, look at the following videos:
Dosing of Damival® 13682 in Battery Modules
Dosing of Damival® 13682 in E-Bike Batteries
To demonstrate the heat dissipation effect of our self-levelling adhesives, we performed thermographic comparisons of the heat flow in single battery cells. A significantly more homogeneous temperature distribution than conventional gap filler, foam or gap-pad was achieved.
Figure 1: Comparison of heat dissipation between gap-filler and our Damival 1368x Series
For the potting 1368x Series, the thermal runaway behaviour has been tested in fully potted high-voltage battery modules. The result: below the potted areas without oxygen access, no reaction could be observed – flames were extinguished in 3 Seconds. The thermal runaway was also slowed down significantly – after 15min, the superior heat dissipation already produced a marked decrease in maximum temperature, which went down further to below 40°C after 50min. The full and detailed report is available on request.
Figure 2: Thermal runaway test of a fully potted module with Damival® 13682
Next-level: The Damival 1368x Series
Tested, proven, and certified for battery applications, this resin is Eco-friendly, thanks to the use of next-generation polyurethane (Health and Safety friendly). As a high temperature resistant Polyurethane, outgassing-free alternative to silicone potting materials, it is suitable for use up to 150°C, highly elastic up to 200% elongation, and exhibits excellent thermal shock behaviour. With a wide range of approvals, this product is non-flammable, self-extinguishing and classified as a non-dangerous good for easy transport. The overall versatile material is suitable for a range of applications from PCB-potting (Printed Circuit Boards) to use as an adhesive.
Thermal adhesives are also known as thermal glues and are mainly used for the mechanical fixation and thermal connection of modules or packs to the cooling system. They can provide additional sealing to prevent moisture migration which could affect the long-term performance of the battery.
Fixation on module/pack level for thermal connection to the cooling system
Thermal & mechanical shock damping
Good adhesion on a broad substrate spectrum
Higher productivity – mechanical fixation replacement and extra sealing
High thermal conductivity over 2.5 W/mK for heat dissipation
Figure 3: Battery module of prismatic cells with thermal adhesive (red) used
Thermal adhesives are suitable for use on modules or packs in all used-cell technologies like prismatic, pouch or cylindric cells.
At the module level, thermal adhesives provide cell bonding and fixation, connect the cells to the cooling system, and support module sealing. When used for fixation at the pack level, the modules are mechanically bonded to the pack, the BMS (Battery Management System) unit is secured, a connection to the pack cooling system is established, and the battery pack gets additional sealing. As a thermal glue in other applications, the adhesive can serve to fix BMS units and cell stacks, provide homogenous heat dissipation, dampen shocks, enhance crash stability, and function as a seal against humidity and moisture.
Next Level Thermal Adhesives based on Damival Series
Tested and proven in battery applications, this is a health & safety-friendly adhesive, thanks to the use of next-generation polyurethane (health and safety friendly). As a non-silicone, outgassing-free alternative to silicone potting materials, it is suitable for use up to 150°C. This highly flexible resin, exhibits excellent thermal shock behaviour, and, in addition to its high thermal conductivity of 2.5W/m.K, its low glass transition temperature (below -45°C) allows keeping high elasticity even at low temperature. Non-flammable, self-extinguishing and classified as a non-dangerous good, it is easy and safe to transport.
If you have any questions about our products and how they might work best for you, please contact our experts directly: alexander.teufl@vonroll.com or at www.vonroll.com
Von Roll is one of the most traditional industrial companies in Switzerland. Origins date back to 1803. For more than 100 years, Von Roll has been supporting our customers in the challenges of electrification and energy generation. As the industry leader for electrical insulation systems, Von Roll is driving the global electrification. The products are essential for the ongoing industrial transformation to zero emissions.
Holman Enterprises, a global automotive services firm, and Electrada, an operator of charging infrastructure, have announced a strategic partnership that will offer fleet operators a turnkey, “fully capitalized and performance-guaranteed” fleet electrification solution.
Holman and ARI, the company’s fleet leasing and management division, will provide fleet management services, including vehicle supply chain logistics, for a range of EVs, and Electrada will install the charging infrastructure. The partnership aims to provide “a predictably-priced contract that eliminates the uncertainty of system performance, long-term energy cost risks, and capital investment requirements that often prevent organizations from adopting robust fleet electrification programs.”
“As we explore potential electrification projects with our customers, this partnership with Electrada virtually eliminates two of the biggest roadblocks companies typically face when integrating EVs into their fleets—infrastructure development and significant capital expenditures,” said Emily Graham, Holman’s Director of Sustainability.
The companies’ fleet electrification solution will offer:
Collaborative consultation to develop a holistic electrification solution
Analysis of operating data to identify and prioritize vehicles suited to electrification
Design-to-deployment, fully capitalized and translated to predictable monthly cost
Cost-per-mile savings without risk of electricity price volatility
Guaranteed infrastructure performance, resilience, and support
Carbon-free fleet operations from power source to vehicle
“Fleet electrification merges two of the most complex and risk-laden sectors: mission-critical transportation and electric power,” said Kevin Kushman, CEO of Electrada. “Unlocking the tremendous potential to electrify fleets requires the application of proven expertise with innovative solutions and the commitment to invest in these solutions.”
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Proterra and Scale Microgrid Solutions are collaborating to install a microgrid and EV fleet charging system for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). The project, which just secured a grant from the California Energy Commission, includes solar panels and a battery energy storage system.
In the event of an extended power outage, electricity stored in the microgrid’s battery storage system can provide back-up power to allow the agency to continue operating its electric buses, providing emergency transport if needed. The system will also give VTA the ability to purchase its utility power from PG&E at optimal times, saving the agency on electricity costs.
The system includes approximately 1.5 megawatts of solar capacity, provided by panels on rooftop space and an overhead carport canopy at VTA’s Cerone bus yard. The battery storage system can store four megawatt-hours of usable electricity, and can deliver one megawatt of peak output power—enough to enable up to 20 hours of emergency operations. The agency will also install two Proterra 1.5 MW fleet chargers to power 34 electric transit buses. The microgrid and charging infrastructure will be linked together by a switchgear and controls package designed by Schneider Electric.
The system is expected to come online in late 2023.
“If the lights go out, transit agencies and fleet operators need to know that their electric vehicles will be there for the communities they serve,” said Chris Bailey, President of Proterra Powered & Energy.
“California’s electric grid needs distributed energy resources in order to support fully electrifying its transportation sector,” says Tim Victor of Scale Microgrid Solutions. “The system we are deploying for VTA will set the example of how distributed energy will alleviate many of the risks associated with the energy transition and provide cleaner, cheaper and more reliable charging power.”
“This project combines several VTA goals. It shifts us toward greener sources of energy, saves VTA money that can be reallocated to other operating needs and provides the infrastructure to charge our next batch of zero-emission buses,” said Adam Burger, Senior Transportation Planner with VTA.
