43 %
of drivers worldwide are planning to buy an electric vehicle within five years.
(Source: Observatoire Cetelem de ‘automobile, September 2018 survey)
In just four years, the number of electric vehicles (hybrid and all-electric) on the world’s roads has more than quintupled, with sales reaching 2.1 million units in 2018, up 80% from 2017. Electric motors are also surging in the bus and road transportation market. Every vehicle manufacturer is now engaged in this fundamental shift, and the trend will accelerate in the years ahead. According to consulting firm Roland Berger, the global electric vehicle (EV) fleet could hit 100 million in 2035. Now concentrated in a handful of countries — China (50% of global sales), the United States, Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and France — EV growth is being propelled by strong incentives. These include buyer subsidies and the adoption of quotas at automakers in China and California, the lowering of new vehicle emission limits by the European Union and even, in most big cities around the world, an outright ban on first diesel and then gasoline-fueled cars by 2030.
LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES, A GLOBAL R&D CHALLENGE
But not all indicator lights are flashing green yet. Remaining obstacles to the en masse adoption by motorists of electric vehicles include their purchase price, their range (today’s models have a tough time breaking 150 kilometers, even though the 400-kilometer mark seems achievable in the short term), their charging time (usually still several hours) and access to a public charging station network. To achieve the electric mobility revolution, automakers and OEMs are investing massively to improve vehicle battery performance. Lithium-ion technology, which easily dominates today’s market, is constantly being improved and is driving advanced materials R&D. And for some players, developing alternative technologies such as solid-state batteries is a key focus.
KYNAR® PVDF FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE AND LONGEVITY
Engaged in this global race to boost the performance of EV lithium-ion technology, Arkema is making a major contribution with our specific Kynar® PVDF grades, already used successfully for 20 years in smartphone and tablet batteries. They fulfill various key functions in battery cells. In electrodes, the highly electrochemical-resistant fluoropolymers bind the active particles and conductive charges on the current collector, enabling the ions and electrons to circulate efficiently. Used as a protective coating for the separator film between the anode and cathode, they help boost battery safety and life. Kynar® materials are regularly upgraded to meet battery maker requirements and are now used widely worldwide, especially in China, where Arkema is a major supplier of CATL, a global leader in the battery market. At the same time, Arkema is developing other ways to improve lithium batteries. We’re working on a new generation of electrolytes, the source of ions, and on developing carbon nanotubes used as additives in the cathode to shorten charging times. Our R&D also focuses on the more future-oriented challenges of lithium-sulfur technologies and solid-state batteries. To stay in the electric motor race, we need to stay ahead of the pack.
