Reliable, lightweight, and sustainable battery systems for electric transportation
Range, comfort, and price have been the key determining factors for successful electric mobility in recent years. Increasingly, aspects of sustainability and resource efficiency in terms of lightweight construction and recycling are also coming to the fore:
How can battery systems be installed in vehicles in a space- and weight-saving manner? How can weight savings be achieved - from cell connectors to battery housings and suspension in the vehicle to surrounding cooling systems -without compromising reliability during use? How can electrical energy storage devices and their components be properly integrated into the drive train and the vehicle? How can their design and material selection take into account subsequent dismantling (for second use, for example) and ensure the suitability of the manufacturing processes for series production?
These questions determine our research and development work in the context of “electrical energy storage” at Fraunhofer LBF.
The work of our researchers includes the development of sustainable battery systems for various applications, the development and characterization of new materials and substances from the battery cell to the surrounding components, and the development and application of methods for assessing the reliability and service life of traction components in electric vehicles. In addition, the institute has state-of-the-art laboratory, testing, and validation environments for multiphysical testing of energy storage systems and their materials and components.