Martin Kahl
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Manufacturing the solution to thermal runaway in EV batteries
At the core of ONE’s innovation lies a strategic inclination toward lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries over conventional lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) chemistry. Emphasizing safety, extended cycle life, and cost efficiency, ONE confronts the looming challenge of thermal runaway – a pressing concern in lithium-ion batteries, with a chemical focus on three pivotal ingredients…
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A natural fit: why the auto industry is turning to bio-materials
In the race towards sustainability in automotive production, bio-based materials are transforming the industry. Natural fibres like flax, hemp, kenaf and jute are gaining prominence, providing durable and lightweight alternatives for components, from dashboards to electric vehicle batteries. The journey towards eco-friendly solutions, is marked by the need for lower environmental footprints and manufacturing costs, and industry pioneers envision a future where bio-based materials play a central role in a more sustainable automotive world.
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R8 and e-Tron GT: Audi’s non-identical twins
On an unremarkable industrial estate on the outskirts of Heilbronn, Audi has a low-volume production facility where it produces its two most powerful and highly distinctive road vehicles. What is remarkable is that one is conventionally powered, the other pure electric. What is even more remarkable is that Audi builds both models, in any sequence, on the same line.
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The evolution of EV battery enclosures: balancing optimisation, safety and cost-effectiveness
The battery enclosures used in the first wave of EVs to hit the market after 2010 were designed to be sealed firmly shut. This took to an extreme the need to be impenetrable, crash proof, fireproof, waterproof and tamper-proof and resulted in mostly irreparable batteries and recycling processes that frequently require people in protective clothing using crow bars to prise open the enclosures protecting these very heavy, high-voltage machines. But technologies and production strategies are fast-evolving.