Evolution And Innovation In EV Battery Tray Design And Technology
What are Battery Trays?
Battery trays are key components in the power system of new energy vehicles, designed to support, secure, and protect batteries, ensuring their safe and stable installation in vehicles or energy storage systems. As critical elements for the safety of electric vehicle battery systems, battery trays are highly customizable. They offer strong support, waterproofing, dust resistance, fire prevention, heat dissipation, and anti-corrosion properties.
Optional materials for battery tray
Stainless steel, like aluminum, is a highly favored material in the design of EV battery boxes due to its excellent machining properties, high strength, and rigidity. These qualities make it an ideal choice for creating robust and safe battery enclosures. In particular, stainless steel is well-suited for manufacturing parts with complex geometries, which are crucial for the advanced designs of modern EV battery boxes.
One of the standout benefits of stainless steel is its exceptional heat resistance, able to withstand temperatures as high as 1250°C. This is a vital feature, offering added protection to passengers in the event of a fire caused by an electric vehicle crash. Its remarkable strength not only contributes to improved crash safety but also allows for lightweight engineering, which is key for EV performance. Furthermore, stainless steel is easy to process, enabling the creation of intricate shapes that meet specific design requirements. Its non-magnetic properties help meet stringent electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards, ensuring that the vehicle’s electrical systems remain unaffected. Overall, when considering the total cost of ownership (TCO), stainless steel stands out as a reliable, cost-effective material choice for EV battery boxes.
Aluminum and its alloys are extensively used in the automotive industry, particularly for components like battery housings, thanks to their lightweight properties, corrosion resistance, high strength, and excellent machinability. These attributes make aluminum an ideal material for EV battery box design, offering a perfect balance of strength and weight. In fact, aluminum provides comparable strength to steel but at a fraction of the weight, which is a significant advantage in electric vehicle design.
Today, about 80% of electric vehicles are equipped with aluminum battery housings, resulting in a weight reduction of up to 40%. The most commonly used alloys for these housings are from the 6000 series Al-Si-Mg-Cu family, which are not only strong and durable but also highly recyclable, making them an environmentally friendly choice. For smaller enclosures, such as those found in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), cast aluminum is often used to achieve even greater weight reduction and enhance overall performance.
By choosing aluminum, manufacturers can achieve a lighter, more efficient vehicle, while also benefiting from the material's sustainability and long-term durability.
Fiber-reinforced composites are quickly emerging as a highly promising material for electric vehicle (EV) battery boxes, thanks to their lightweight nature, high rigidity, and strength, which significantly enhance collision safety. These materials are not only durable but also offer excellent heat and fire resistance, providing the battery with exceptional protection even under extreme conditions.
One of the standout benefits of fiber-reinforced composites is their low thermal conductivity, especially when compared to aluminum. This property helps improve both fire safety and heat management by naturally insulating the battery, reducing the need for additional layers of insulation. Furthermore, composites are highly resistant to corrosion, ensuring that the battery box maintains its structural integrity over time without requiring extra protection, unlike steel. Even in the event of vehicle body damage, the battery box remains secure and leak-free.
As manufacturing processes for these composites continue to advance, they are expected to become more cost-effective, potentially offering a price point comparable to that of aluminum and steel. This could make fiber-reinforced composites a strong contender for the future of EV battery boxes, combining safety, durability, and performance in a single material.
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Thermoplastics are gaining traction as an excellent alternative to metals and alloys for electric vehicle (EV) battery enclosures, offering a range of benefits. Much like fiber composites, thermoplastics are lightweight, strong, stiff, and cost-effective, making them an attractive choice for manufacturers.
One of the key advantages of thermoplastic battery housings is the simplified production process. With just a single compression molding step, manufacturers can create the entire housing, which not only streamlines production but also enables the integration of multiple components and functions. This reduction in assembly steps helps cut overall production costs. Moreover, thermoplastics are highly recyclable, contributing to sustainability by reducing the carbon footprint. When compared to aluminum, thermoplastics also offer weight savings, which further enhances vehicle efficiency and performance.
Aluminum remains the dominant material—most electric vehicle battery enclosures are made from aluminum or its alloys. Other materials are emerging as a new trend, as original equipment manufacturers and electric vehicle component makers are actively seeking ways to further reduce the weight of these vehicles.
Joining Methods in EV Battery Trays
The methods used to join battery trays, particularly those made from extruded aluminum alloys, have seen major advancements. Today, we employ advanced welding technologies such as Friction Stir Welding (FSW), TIG, MIG, and CMT, along with mechanical methods like bolting. These innovations result in stronger, more reliable battery trays, improving production efficiency and providing solid support for the development of electric vehicles.
Considerations for Designing EV Battery Trays
An ideal battery box design should provide adequate protection for both the battery and the passengers, especially in the event of an accident. The following are the key goals to focus on during the design process.
The weight of an electric vehicle plays a significant role in its overall performance. To improve efficiency, we have been looking for effective ways to reduce weight without sacrificing performance. One such solution is to lighten the battery casing, and using cast aluminum battery trays is an efficient way to achieve this weight reduction.
Improper installation or inadequate coverage of the battery can lead to leaks, which may result in accidents. To prevent this, an insulation system is essential to protect passengers. One effective approach is incorporating insulating materials, such as plastics and composites, into the battery box design.
The design of the battery box should include separate circuits and compartments for the power electronics and battery cooling system. Additionally, the automotive battery box design should allow for easy replacement of battery cells.
In addition to housing the battery, the EV battery box should protect both drivers and passengers, particularly in the event of a crash. While aluminum battery casings are lightweight, they provide high tensile strength and rigidity, ensuring safety.
Future innovations in battery trays will emphasize lightweight design, multifunctional integration, enhanced safety, and sustainability. High-strength materials like aluminum alloys and composites will reduce weight, improve range, and integrate features such as thermal management, electromagnetic shielding, and structural support. Safety will be improved with better collision protection and reduced risk of thermal runaway. Manufacturing processes will also become more eco-friendly, utilizing recyclable materials and efficient production methods to support sustainability goals.