GroKuBat
Plastic battery housing suitable for mass production
Plastic battery housing suitable for mass production
In purely battery-powered passenger cars, the traction battery located in the underbody of the vehicle has become the established design. Despite the favorable center of gravity achieved as a result, there is still a demand for lighter batteries, as high weight continues to have a negative impact on range and driving dynamics. The increased use of lightweight materials for battery housings, such as glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, is a promising option for counteracting the high weight. Fundamental research in recent years has shown that the high mechanical, thermal, and electrical requirements can be met with these materials. As part of this joint project, such a housing was to be developed and constructed for large-scale series production, taking into account the entire value chain. Design and subsequent manufacturing options are closely interrelated in this context. The optimized design of the manufacturing processes, the design and selection of materials via simulation and practical implementation, and the development of a production-ready housing design that also enables improved integration into body structures were considered in parallel in the project and transferred to a demonstrator.
In the short term, CO₂ emissions caused by road traffic can only be reduced through the use of battery-powered electric vehicles. There is therefore a current need for meaningful further development of battery systems in terms of weight optimization, efficient use of materials, and suitable production processes that also improve the CO₂ balance across the entire life cycle.
The specific objectives of the project include the development and construction of a demonstrator in the form of a plastic battery housing that can be integrated into a body shell structure and meets all the necessary mechanical requirements in a real crash test scenario. In addition, the process for manufacturing thermoplastic press components had to be further developed in order to be able to process and handle the large quantities of material required in an automated process close to series production. Another goal was to develop a methodology for process simulation to improve component quality, shorten development time, and perform process validation. Finally, an LCA analysis was performed to compare the CO2 footprint of the newly developed plastic battery box with the series-production component made of aluminum. All the goals set and parameters specified were achieved in the project.
