Material players set for big gains/losses in EV $1,000+ bn revolution

The electric vehicle market is growing very quickly. IDTechEx forecast that the total market will exceed $1,000bn value within the next 5-years across all categories: land, sea, and air. This huge growth is resulting in a large amount of turbulence within the supply chain. In particular, the material considerations are different to traditional internal combustion engines and provide a significant opportunity or threat - depending on your viewpoint.

 

IDTechEx are hosting expert led Business and Technology Insight Forums in Tokyo, 18-19 September and Seoul, 25-26 September on the electric vehicle industry. Each forum is 2h 15min long and gives player analysis, market trends, and technical requirements. The forums can be booked individually here for Tokyo: www.IDTechEx.com/Tokyo or by contacting Miwako; M.Murakoshi@IDTechEx.com, and here for Seoul: www.IDTechEx.com/Korea or by contacting DM; D.Yun@idtechex.co.kr

 

The key themes are the material opportunities and challenges. This will feature across the electric powertrain from the battery cell chemistry to use-cases in motors, roles in thermal management and beyond. Below we highlight the main forum for material progressions.

 

 

Forum 3 will focus on smart materials and their use in the transportation applications. This will include fundamentals about composites, nanomaterials, photovoltaics, piezoelectric and more. The forum will highlight the relevance of these advanced materials for structural and conformal electronic applications, energy harvesting devices, and smart glass.

 

Forum 4 & 5 will focus on the underlying battery technology, including details of the material compositions across the supply chain. Not only for lithium-ion batteries, but also for "post-lithium" variants and supercapacitors. The material developments in this field are the key to progressing the energy density, cycle rate, mechanical performance, and more.

 

Forum 6 Part A will provide a detailed look at the traction motors for electric vehicles. Each motor type will be benchmarked, and the material composition highlighted - clear progressions, rate of adoption, and the challenges will all be discussed.

 

Forum 6 Part B will analyse the thermal management of an electric vehicle, specifically of the complete battery pack. This area is rapidly changing as OEM adopt different strategies and there are shifting market trends and regulations. The thermal interface material (TIM) will be discussed in detail as a key material component. Early stage opportunities are also investigated including phase change materials and immersion cooled fluids.

 

 

Finally, an overview of other material opportunities in the battery pack will take place. This includes detailed analysis, for example into the polymeric opportunity in lightweighting enclosures, and challenges associated with appropriate EMI shielding and fire protection.