DuPont Mobility & Materials has announced the opening of three global Centers of Excellence (COE) to accelerate the development and testing of new applications for automotive electrification.
Dedicated resources focused on vehicle electrification will allow fast application development to help validate new concepts in shorter timeframes versus complete programs. These COEs will enable DuPont experts to accelerate the assessment of reliability, performance, cost optimization and time-to-market, as well as focus on drivers for consumer adoption such as fast charging and improved range and safety.
“More than two thirds of the global vehicle market is expected to be electrified to some degree by 2030. OEMs and suppliers must rise to the challenge to provide more sustainable and advanced vehicle solutions that don’t compromise on performance or safety,” said Kara Grasso, global strategy director, advanced mobility, DuPont Mobility & Materials. “DuPont has the expertise, technical capabilities and range of solutions to help our customers meet their toughest challenges, and our new COEs are perfect for inspiration and collaboration.”
DuPont COEs will focus on three key areas crucial to driving EV technology forward – battery safety, thermal management, and e-powertrain efficiency. Each COE will have dedicated personnel and equipment to accelerate the development and adoption of new technologies as follows:
Battery Safety – Geneva, Switzerland and Shanghai, China
Objectives: helping meet safety requirements while increasing energy density, fast-charging endurance, and cost optimization.
Thermal Management – Geneva and Freienbach, Switzerland
Objectives: improving fast-charging speed, cold-weather performance, and battery reliability – all at a controlled cost.
E-powertrain Efficiency – Geneva, Switzerland
Objectives: Optimizing power electronics, e-motor efficiency, and energy/packing density while maintaining reliability at the highest levels.
To meet growing demand in all regions, including the USA, there is global interaction between the COEs and other DuPont technical and R&D centers worldwide, including the new Innovation Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The COEs have pilot-scale capabilities and use the same methodologies as OEMs and Tiers including:
- Processing equipment to make parts and prototypes (molding, extrusion, assembly)
- Ideation enhanced by VR, 3D printing and machining capabilities
- Application testing (electrical, safety, thermal, mechanical)
- Module-scale performance testing
- Analytical lab (tomography, thermal conductivity, electrical properties)
- Advanced simulation tools for design and correlation analysis (CAE/CAD)
- Scale-up pilot plant capability
