DSM arm’s novel tech boosts e-vehicles
The automobile body materials subsidiary of Royal DSM, the Dutch life and material sciences company, has found novel ways to enhance mileage and quality of batterypowered vehicles in China.
By working closely with Chinese manufacturers and related electric vehicle industry associations, DSM Engineering Plastics or DEP has figured that if e-vehicles are built using lightweight yet sturdy materials, they can travel a longer distance.
Lighter e-cars also improve the endurance of the battery, said Zhang Zhenyu, commercial director of DEP for Great China region.
Agreed Zhao Ying, a researcher at the Beijingbased Institute of Industrial Economics, which is part of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “Lightweight vehicles are a significant trend in new energy vehicles. They can reduce the use of battery. Advanced materials and technology are key to lightweight vehicles and lower cost of production.”
That is where DEP assumes significance. It specializes in the manufacture of plastics for electronics, automotive and specialized industries.
“We are working on lightweight materials with manufacturers in China and abroad, and trying to understand what they need now and what they might need in the future,” DEP’s Zhang said.
In this direction, the company has made progress. It has been able to make lighter engines, chassis and power assist systems, as well as decrease the friction between the chains. This has helped increase efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
DEP has gained another insight in China. “For traditional vehicles, we consider most the heat resistance of materials. But now, we concentrate more on the flame retardancy and insulation performance for the batteries and
Zhang Zhenyu,