Reduce prices and weight – and drive farther. That’s the “magic triangle” for automotive manufacturers and their suppliers when it comes to electric mobility. According to a recent study the prices of batteries for electric vehicles will decrease by more than half between now and 2025. Alongside the batteries, which are a crucial factor in determining the vehicle’s range and cost, vehicle weight plays an important role as well.
As a result, carbon fiber composite materials are increasingly in use. And so are adhesive tapes, which are not as heavy as traditional joining materials like rivets and screws. In addition, many technologically advanced tapes perform additional functions. The German company tesa which has partnered with the global automotive industry for many decades, recently launched new adhesive tapes for electric and hybrid vehicles on the market in close cooperation with the OEMs and their suppliers.
Special tapes for electric and hybrid vehicles
More than 75 different adhesive tape applications from tesa can be installed in a new car. Source: tesa
An electric car’s battery is a highly complex construct. It typically consists of cells assembled into modules of ten cells each. Ten modules form the battery block. Each cell generates heat and electrical voltage that needs to be shielded. Double-sided tesa tape and a special film are used to connect the cells with each other and insulate them.
Another important field of application is system solutions to protect and affix wire harnesses. tesa is among the most important providers worldwide in this market segment, with a wide range of products that customers can order on rolls or in highly flexible sleeve form as needed. Depending on the intended use, these tapes are required to be extremely resistant to abrasion, extreme temperatures, and chemicals while also damping noise.
The electronics sector is becoming a major competitive factor in cars. Consumer wishes and legal requirements are progressively making electronic assistance systems a standard item. These systems are controlled via touchscreen, like tablets or navigation devices, and the speedometer landscape is dominated by digital displays. The components of these onboard electronics are held in place with tape.
“We have decades of expertise in both the automotive and electronics industries. We are benefiting from that now,” says Dr. Robert Gereke, CEO of tesa. “With our technologically advanced functional adhesive tapes, including electrically conductive tapes (ECTs), optically clear adhesive tapes (OCAs), and barrier tapes for applications in curved displays, we are in an excellent position for the future of automotive manufacturing,” he explains.
