A leading global aluminum rolling company recently announced it has developed the first aluminum sheet battery enclosure for the rapidly growing electric vehicle and battery sectors.
Novelis, Inc., introduced the enclosure which is built with Novelis Advanz™ aluminum products and is up to 50 percent lighter than an equivalent steel design, providing a more sustainable mobility solution in battery electric vehicles. As a result, it matches the best energy density in the industry by enabling more than 160 watt-hours per kilogram, an extremely efficient design for OEMs and Tier 1 battery pack manufacturers. It also can accommodate all battery cell types and is designed particularly for battery electric vehicles with larger power packs such as pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles, and crossovers.
By utilizing Novelis’ highly-formable alloys, the battery enclosure provides automakers the ability to achieve deep drawn, complex shapes tailored to specific vehicle design requirements. The lightweight, high-strength material can help extend range, allowing vehicles to go 6-10 percent further on a single charge.
“This is the first project resulting from Novelis’ recently launched Customer Solution Center network, which brings research and technical platforms, operations and commercial development together to increase collaboration and innovation with our partners,” said Pierre Labat, Vice President, Global Automotive, Novelis Inc. “With our investment in design, joining and crash management capabilities, we were able to create a stronger, more efficient, and more cost-effective enclosure that can be fully customized to meet our customers’ needs.”
