Electric vehicles

Wednesday 9 April 2025 - Driving E-Mobility Forward: How EVs Are Shining a Spotlight on Aerogels; An introduction to aerogels; Factors and regulations driving the increased focus on fire safety in EVs; Comparison of aerogel material types as EV fire protection materials and comparison with other fire protection materials; Market status and outlook for future market share of aerogels in EV applications

The global passenger car market is witnessing a pivotal shift in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), with Level 2+ (L2+) technologies rapidly outpacing Level 3 (L3) deployments. IDTechEx forecasts significant growth, with L2+/L3 revenues in Europe projected to exceed US$4 billion by 2042.

Automotive and battery OEMs are responsible for collecting retired batteries, which is where the second-life battery value chain begins. Recycling processes may see critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel reclaimed by OEMs. However, the already somewhat established relationship between recyclers and manufacturers may prove tricky for repurposing companies to interrupt.

Front and side radars serve distinct yet complementary roles in ADAS, making them essential for autonomous vehicles. IDTechEx explores the latest radar developments and explores autonomy leveling up, with Level 2+ asserting itself within the US and Europe's autonomous vehicle markets.

IDTechEx discusses the pros and cons of composite EV battery covers, as well as innovations, current market adoption and an outlook for future adoption.

While battery electric vehicles (BEVs) continue to grow in model availability, sales numbers, and available charging infrastructure, the same cannot be said about fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). IDTechEx reviews the on-road fuel cell electric vehicle market and assesses whether passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, buses, and medium and heavy-duty trucks will use fuel cell technology in 20 years.

Since 2020, the emergence of aerogels as a fire protection material for electric vehicle (EV) batteries has provided a new and rapidly growing opportunity for the aerogel market. According to the latest IDTechEx market report, "Aerogels 2025-2035: Technology, Market, Forecasts", the adoption in EV thermal barriers has helped drive the aerogels market to exceed US$1 billion in 2025.

The automotive industry faces increasing pressure to improve sustainability, with material choice at the forefront of this transformation. With over 14 million tonnes of plastics used in passenger vehicles each year, addressing the sustainability of these materials is critical. Two leading solutions are recycled plastics and bioplastics. But what is the future of sustainable cars?

EV adoption is taking off, but regulation remains the driving factor behind the shift from traditional ICE vehicles in many cases. However, governments and OEMs are adjusting their EV targets amid a challenging market situation. How will these changes affect the growth of EV sectors and markets?

How electric 2-wheelers (E2Ws) are used and how their batteries are designed is very different from the car market. IDTechEx's report, "Fire Protection Materials for EV Batteries 2025-2035: Markets, Trends, and Forecasts", finds that the market for fire protection materials in E2Ws will grow by 12 times compared to its 2024 size.