The mobility revolution is accelerating. But how much potential do E-mobility and batteries really have? Does the future belong to these technologies or will the fear of searching for the nearest power socket continue to be an unwanted part of standard equipment? One thing seems clear, however – the opportunities for the transport sector and industry are huge.

Whatever form the energy transition takes, the transport sector will play a key role. A few simple figures make it clear why. The transport sector accounts for 28 per cent of final energy consumption and 20 per cent of CO2 emissions in Germany. In addition, passenger and freight transport is likely to continue to grow in the coming years. Consequently, the energy transition can only succeed if the mobility transition also succeeds.

One, if not the key technology for this is electromobility. It is of great importance to the German economy, and not just in terms of CO2 reduction and climate change. The coming years will also decide what role German companies will play in the production of electromobility. There are therefore good reasons for car manufacturers and energy suppliers to fight for tomorrow’s market share today.

E-mobility – the key technology of tomorrow

This is also supported by the continuous increase in new registrations of electric cars, which might set to increase significantly over the next few years. Around 350,000 electric vehicles were sold in Germany in 2021, making Germany the third-largest sales market for electric vehicles after the USA and China. The goal of having ten million electric cars on German roads by the end of 2030 also fits in with this. In order to achieve this and make electric cars an attractive and affordable alternative to combustion engines for buyers, the German government is promoting the expansion of a nationwide charging station infrastructure with various programmes and several hundred million euros.

The economy is not the only beneficiary of this development. Shifting the focus of mobility to electromobility will also protect the environment, improve the quality of life in cities and, last but not least, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and their countries of origin.

Battery technology for high-performance energy storage systems will play a central role in the mobility transition. The batteries port of the added value of an electric car is more than 40 per cent. At the same time, the European Battery Alliance estimates the market potential for automotive batteries produced in Europe at up to 250 billion euros by the middle of the next decade. Germany could become the most important location in Europe for the production of battery cells for electric cars.

Into the future with more efficient batteries

The German government shares this view and has provided almost three billion euros for the promotion of battery cell production in Germany. This will not only support the industry, but also high-quality local employment. The foundation stone for the Volkswagen Group’s first Gigafactory was laid in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony, in the summer 2022. Up to 5,000 new jobs are to be created there. Forecasts predict a need for up to 30 such gigantic factories in Europe by 2030. This means that up to 50 billion euros will be invested in battery factories in the coming years.

Machine and plant manufacturers benefit

German machinery and plant manufacturers are also set to benefit from this development. They have established a leading market position, particularly fully automated lines for cell and module production. BOSCH, for example, plans to generate 250 million euros in sales every year from 2025 with assembly lines for welding and gluing battery cells, among other things.

Well-known manufacturers such as Manz AG – a global high-tech engineering company focussing on the automotive industry, electromobility and battery production – and Grob-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, which manufactures machine tools and designs innovative production and automation systems, plan to cooperate to manufacture equipment for the automated production of LIB cells and modules. The aim is nothing less than to establish a machine standard ‘Made in Europe’. This development is likely to lead to an enormous increase in demand for machines and systems for battery production in the coming years.

SCHOLPP keep up with the Industry

Another decisive factor is the development of new technologies that will make the batteries of electric vehicles significantly more powerful in the future. The big German players in the automotive industry are at the forefront of development here and are focusing on new types of batteries such as silicon anodes, which can achieve more than 50 per cent more energy and therefore range than the lithium-ion batteries currently in use.

Significantly more capacity is needed to expand their production. The associated expansion requires professionally coordinated movement and assembly of machines and production systems in the high-quality automotive sector – one of SCHOLPP’s great strengths. An efficient and precisely assembled production system or special stacking, tab welding or bag moulding machines are important key technologies for the rapid development of battery production. But professional assembly partners are also crucial for the often strict schedule in order to survive in a competitive environment when production has to be adapted to changing conditions.

 

Sources (Only available in German):

  • https://www.bem-ev.de/status-quo-neue-mobilitaet/
  • https://beck-pollitzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Battery-and-EV-Brochure_Beck-Pollitzer_DE.pdf
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